Dub Knock in three

Victoria Park, Thursday 18 August 2005, 6:30PM

Dub FC (1)3 Knock FC (0)0

Dub secured a second victory against 2nd division opponents in their warm-up friendlies for the new season at Victoria park.

Dub started the game briskly for the most part, with the odd glimpse of the effects of pre-season training - a rare McCann sprint in the opening 5 minutes for one. The team had an unfamiliar line-up, with Art forcing Phil to start as centre-half in another desperate attempt to get some silverware on Cormac's mantelpiece this year. Dub created a few half chances, culminating in Sick Note Hodgkinson producing a great run and cross from the left wing, leaving Cormac an open net to aim for. Running from an unfamiliar on-side position, he made best efforts to clear the crossbar, but the ball just slipped under to open the scoring for Dub with 20minutes gone.

"Laid-back" was the best way to describe Dub's effort for the rest of the half, as despite the lion's share of the possession, nothing significant in front of goal materialised. Half-time 1-0.

Dub started the second half slowly and gradually got lazier as time went on. Knock began to threaten more, and were only denied an equaliser by some dreadful finishing as their right winger found himself through on goal. Gradually Dub began to realise they had a match on their hands, and when the ageing Dickson found the youthful McCusker on the edge of the box, there was only one outcome. Not the usual hoof over the crossbar though, but an inspired run past a dazed full back and a decisive shot into the bottom corner.

With this cushion, Dub rallied a little and began to create more opportunities. Various approaches were tried - left wing, right wing, pass through the midfield, but in the end Route 1 produced the goal: kick-out from Gillen, header by Phil, back of the net by Cormac. 3-0 flattered Dub's performance a little but a win's a win.

Squad

David McSparran (sub 45 mins), Shane Murphy, Mark Harvey, Phil Doherty, Andy de Faoite, Gareth Dickson, Donal McCann, Shane McCusker, Art Kernan (sub 45 mins), Chris Hodgkinson (sub 60 mins), Cormac Kernan

Subs

Liam Gillen (45 mins), Kristian Hill (45 mins)

Match Statistics

Goals	Cormac Kernan (2) Shane McCusker
Assists	Gareth Dickson Phil Doherty Chris Hodgkinson
Yellow cards	-
Red cards	-
Man of the match	Shane McCusker