Wexford FC v Cobh Ramblers

Very eventful game in Ferrycarrig this evening as some clinical finishing by Mikie Rowe, coupled with some other stellar performances by the home side, continued Wexford’s interest in securing the final play-off place. Wexford began with Paul, James, Dean, Mikie, Dobbsy, Kaylem, Zayd, Michael, Aji, Evan and Ben. The rain was teeming down before the game but miraculously stopped just as the whistle blew for the start and then returned again with a vengeance about the hour mark. Cobh looked a bit flat for the first half-hour or so as Wexford began to press the Cobh goal. Wexford forced a couple of corners early on and, on thirteen minutes, Dobbsy had a great chance but his effort was blocked by a defender on the Cobh goal-line. On nineteen minutes, Wexford’s keeper, Paul Martin, went down holding his leg for a second time and was immediately replaced by Alex Moody who had a storming game from then on between the posts for the home side. Two minutes later, Mikie Rowe was sent clear in vast oceans of space behind the Cobh defence (but the linesman definitely showed that he was keeping his flag down) and Mikie finished comfortably past Timo Martin in the Cobh goal and it was 1-0 to Wexford. Shortly afterwards, Dylan McGlade, who was having an excellent game for the away side and would later score a cracking goal, got a yellow for a tackle. On 35 minutes, Cobh got a goal back when the Wexford defence allowed Rhys Gourdie to turn from a back to goal position and pass the ball into the corner of the Wexford net. 1-1. Cobh improved greatly after their equaliser and applied some pressure on the Wexford goal with Alex Moody making a good save low down at the expense of a corner in the first minute of injury time. 1-1 at halftime.

Cobh probably looked the more likely to get the lead goal from the start of the second half but Wexford also looked dangerous particularly when they could get the ball to Aji Oluwabiyi wide left. On eleven minutes. Wexford manager, Stephen Elliott, picked up a straight red for very vigorously disputing whether a Cobh ball had crossed the touchline on his side of the pitch. Aji Oluwabiyi then set up Dobbsy with another chance but again his shot was blocked by a Cobh defender. After Alex Moody had made a comfy save from a Cobh free header following a corner and Ryan Butler had been introduced by Wexford, Dylan McGlade scored the goal of the game when the ball was rolled back to him about thirty yards out and he blasted it home first-time to put Cobh ahead. 1-2. Within minutes, Wexford equalised when two goal-bound shots by Wexford were blocked by Cobh defenders and the second block was adjudged a hand-ball. Mikie Rowe gave Timo Martin no chance with the spotter and it was 2-2. Alex Moody then showed his safe hands again with another good catch before Wexford manufactured a five-on-two break but the release ball wasn’t perfect and Timo Martin was able to make two saves at the expense of a corner to Wexford. Then, after a Wexford corner had been partially cleared, a low cross by Wexford to the near post was headed home by a stooping Mikie Rowe to give Mikie his hat-trick and Wexford the lead by three goals to two. Only a few minutes to hold out, but this is Wexford where your heart is always in your mouth, so Cobh were able to smack a looping header off the Wexford crossbar with Alex Moody possibly getting a touch just before the end of the game and with the rebound going safe for Wexford to hold out by three goals to two. Mikie Rowe the man of the match but excellent performances also by Aji Oluwabiyi and Alex Moody in the Wexford goal with Evan Osam and Dean Larkin also impressing. Crowd on a wet night was believed to be 511 and Wexford need to secure another win on Monday in Ballybofey to continue their interest in the play-offs.