NFC Kesh 2 Mountjoy United 2

A poor first half performance cost Kesh two points as they came from behind to take a point against Mountjoy United. Trailing by two at the interval, an own goal and a Lee Walker penalty had them back level with ten minutes of the restart but they were unable to complete the comeback and had to settle for a share of the points.
Manager Nicky Noble was frustrated by a first half display that failed to live up to recent performances. “In the first half we were as poor as I have seen us play all season,” said Noble. “If we had played in the first half like we played in the second half then we could have won it. We had a couple of choice words at half time and they came out and scored twice in the first ten minutes of the second half, but we just couldn’t get that third goal.”
Kesh went into the match sitting top of the table, but it was Mountjoy who exerted the early pressure. They were rewarded after ten minutes when they took the lead in fortuitous circumstances. A corner was volleyed clear by Niall McMenamin, but he only succeeded in driving the ball at his own teammate with the ricochet flying into the net. Things got worse for Kesh when Mountjoy added a second with a great strike from the corner of the penalty area from Stuart Graham.
Mountjoy continued to boss the first half and had a string of corners but could not add to their goal tally before half time. In the second half Kesh came out determined to haul themselves back into the game, and they took only ten minutes to score twice.
Nathan Cashel set up his side’s first goal when he drilled a low cross across the penalty area which deflected in off a defender. Five minutes later Cashel was again instrumental, going on a mazy run that was eventually ended when he was tripped inside the box. Lee Walker stepped up to dispatch the spot kick to make it 2-2.
Kesh could not add a third despite chances for Lee Noble, Alex Holder and Grant Ellis, but Mountjoy also had a late opportunity they failed to take as the game ended in a draw.
For Kesh they now face a test of their credentials when they travel to reigning champions Strathroy. ”We will go there with nothing to lose,” said Noble. “They are the champions and it will be a hard place to get anything out of but we will see how we get on. We will go up there under no pressure and try our best, and see what happens.”