SOCCER: Shakh' Karagandy 2St Patrick's Ath 1DAVID McMILLAN bagged a precious away goal for St Patrick's Athletic at the Shakhtyor Stadium, Karagandy, in Kazakhstan yesterday but the Dubliners came close to doing even better, with Paul Crowley having a shot taken off the line at one stage before Evan McMillan hit the post in the closing stages.
Around 12,000 spectators, including two travelling fans, Joe and Pamela Robinson, watched as the visitors matched their hosts almost blow for blow, with Pete Mahon’s side having much the same number of goalscoring chances as the locals.
Gary Rogers had his work cut out at times but his opposite number, Aleksandr Mokin, had to make a string of saves too, with Daryl Kavanagh, Stephen Bradley and Derek Doyle all going close.
Shakhter stepped up the pressure at the start of the second half and eventually made the breakthrough in the 52nd minute when Bosnian international defender Nikola Vasiljevic turned the ball into the back of the net.
Mahon’s men battled back, though, and drew level 12 minutes from time when Mokin pushed a Bradley free well wide and Ian Daly did well to retrieve the ball before turning it back across the face of the goal for McMillan to head home.
Vasiljevic restored the home side’s advantage five minutes before the end and Mahon was a little disappointed afterwards that both the goals his side had conceded had come from set-pieces. Overall, though, the Dubliner was delighted with a result that gives his team every chance of progressing next Thursday.
“It was a great result,” he said, “and while it’s hard to know how crucial the away goal will be, it’s great to have it. The only pity is that we could have had a second goal at the end. I’m delighted, though. We were up against a very good team today, a step up from the Icelandic game. They were technically very sound, Russian-type players; strong, tall, quick with excellent mobility.
“I was afraid the players might tire given the trip we had to get here,” he continued. “I thought the players could have died a death in the second half but in fairness to them they actually got stronger as the game went on. I don’t know where they got their energy from.
“It will still take another monumental effort on the part of our players to go through but the players have dug deep so many times this year, if we can get a good crowd into Richmond, which I’m sure we will, we’ll have a chance”
By lunchtime today Mahon and his men will know just who will be waiting in the next round if they can come from behind again in the second leg but regardless of what the draw produces Mahon insists the focus will remain on Thursday’s game. “We have no control over the draw so we just have to try and finish the job. A one-nil would do us but I think we may need more than that because these are a very good team. The plan is to get home in good shape and start preparing on Monday for the game. Hopefully, we get back Saturday morning. We’ll have a few lemonades tonight.”
SHAKHTER KARAGANDY: Mokin; Kirov, Vicius, Vasiljevic, Utabayev, Kukeyev, Bayzhanov (Dosmanbetov, 90+1), Finonchenko (Petronijevic, 80 mins), Dzidic, Konysbayev (Borovski, 90+3), Khiznichenko.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Pender, E McMillan, Shorthall, Bermingam; Murphy (D McMillan, 63 mins), McFaul, Bradley (Guthrie, 90+3), Crowley (Daly, 77 mins), Doyle; Kavanagh.
Referee: Kristo Tohver (Estonia).
