Abbey Villa F.C 2nds Dominate At Glenkeen Avenue With 5-1 Victory

NAFL 3A result

GreenIsland 2nds 1 v 5 Abbey Villa 2nds

Goals:

Jake Wilson ??

Kyle Irwin ?

Sonny Redford ?

Thomas Drysdale ?

The match burst into life early on as Villa took the lead in the ninth minute. Kyle Irwin delivered a precise cross from the left flank, which Jake Wilson expertly lobbed over the goalkeeper from close range, setting the tone for the visitors’ dominance. Barely a minute later, Villa were awarded a penalty after a foul in the box, which Sonny Redford confidently converted himself, doubling the lead to 2-0. The penalty incident also saw a Greenisland player booked for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Villa’s attacking momentum continued unabated, with Daniel McFarland orchestrating play from the left midfield. His short pass found Kyle Irwin in the 13th minute, who finished a well-worked team move to make it 3-0. Just two minutes later, Sonny Redford swung in a cross from the right, allowing Jake Wilson to score his second goal of the afternoon, again as part of a slick team move. The visitors were ruthless in their early exchanges.

Despite Villa’s dominance, the match was not without its physicality. Marcus McGrath received a yellow card in the 20th minute for a bad tackle, reflecting the competitive edge of the contest. As the first half progressed, Villa maintained control, and the half ended with them comfortably ahead.

At the interval, Villa made a forced change as Sonny Redford was replaced by James King due to injury. The second half saw Greenisland attempt to respond, but their efforts were hampered by disciplinary issues. A Greenisland player was booked for unsporting behaviour in the 52nd minute, and another yellow card followed in the 67th minute, with further cautions coming later in the half.

Greenisland managed to pull a goal back in the 65th minute, offering a glimmer of hope, but Villa’s defensive organisation limited further damage. Villa also made a substitution in the 61st minute, with James Edwards coming on for the injured Curtis Shannon at right back.

Tactically, Villa introduced Thomas Drysdale for Jake Wilson in the 68th minute, aiming to refresh their attacking options. This change paid dividends as Drysdale scored a superb goal in the 81st minute, firing in from outside the area following a neat short pass from Daniel McFarland, who continued to influence the game from midfield.

The remainder of the match saw Greenisland receive two more yellow cards, underscoring their frustration as Villa controlled the tempo and saw out the game with ease. The final whistle confirmed a comprehensive 5-1 victory for Villa 2nds.

Daniel McFarland’s outstanding performance from midfield and then switching to a forward role, earned him the Man of the match accolade, as he was instrumental in both creating and supporting the goals that secured this impressive away win.

MOTM: Daniel McFarland