Dub Eventually Break Down Chinese Wall

Ormeau Park, Sunday 7 September 2008, 1:30PM

Dub FC (2)5 Rovers FC (1)1

Dubs opening game was against one of the leagues weaker teams and it looked like CFANI knew it. A win was expected after the club had set its sights on ending the season top of the league. Art Kernans 2nd stint as manager saw a number of new faces - clearly he was inspired by the transfer shenanigans of the Premiership. Here's hoping he doesn't end up the same way as Kevin Keegan...

Art binned the lone striker formation in favour of the traditional 4-4-2. This years squad looks promisingly strong - whether it remains that way by Christmas is yet to be seen - and there were only places on the bench for Dub legends Dickson and Kernan along with new signing McCallum. The game started brightly for Dub with Cormac getting into the box within the first few seconds. Dub continued to press and CFANI set out their stall early with 11 men behind the ball. The first fifteen minutes were spent largely in the opposition half with CFANI creating very little in attack, the only real threat coming down the Dub right but with Cormac and McGurk handling everything. All that was to change though as a fairly innocuous challenge outside Dubs box resulted in a free kick and the opening goal of the game.

Keeper Al could only get a touch as the ball ended up in the corner of the net. Dub got their usual wake up call and were quick to respond as Donal was put through but couldn't find the target. A couple of minutes later Sean Mullan (back in Dub colours after his Hollywood debut as Two Face in the Dark Knight) was cynically fouled near the box - he called the defender a d**k then got up and shook his hand. The resulting free kick went wide. Chris Hodgkinson then had a one-on-one saved after a Phil D flick on. In fact the CFANI keeper produced a series of good saves to prevent Dub from getting back in the game. Eventually, the pressure was too much and Phil D scored with a front post header off the bar from a McCann corner. Just after the half hour mark Hodgy was booked for dissent. Apparently the ref wasn't joking. The rest of the first half was much the same with Dub looking to take the lead and just before the whistle Hodgy scored to save Dub blushes.

The second half began much as the first half ended with Dub claiming the lions share of territory if not possession. Ten minutes in and Kevin Duffy made way for the veteran Dickson who gave Dub more width and weight (due to a lack of pre-season training). Cormac then came off for Peter McCallum and Dub looked to press their advantage as Donal began his weekly assault of the woodwork. The team were now passing well and some neat play down the left wing resulted in a third Dub goal. Andy provided the overlap and was released by Donal. He took it down the line and squared to Paddy Taylor who finished coolly from 6 yards. Art Kernan has brought a total football philosophy to the club as shown by the two defenders creating the goal. Either that or they were out of position....

Donal hit the bar before being brought down in the box - red card and penalty. Dub captain Phil stepped up and found the corner with the keeper only managing a touch of the ball. Phil was immediately taken off for such a poor display of penalty taking and Art came on for the last 5 minutes. There was still time for Dub to create chances and Dickson and Hodgkinson linked up well on the left but the final pass was just out of Hodgys reach. Minutes later the situation was repeated and a better pass from Dickson gave Hodgy his second goal and Dubs fifth. Another goal looked on the cards as Dickson broke through the middle screaming "Gimme gimme gimme" but the ref obviously isn't an ABBA fan and blew the final whistle. 5-1 was the final score but take nothing away from the Chinese (see what I did there?) as they stuck to their game plan.

Squad

Alan Plunkett, Paddy Taylor, Sean Doherty, Andy Bowd, Donal McCann, Sean Mullan, Phil Doherty (sub 85 mins), Ryan McGaughey, Kevin Duffy (sub 60 mins), Cormac Kernan (sub 70 mins), Chris Hodgkinson

Subs

Gareth Dickson (60 mins), Peter McCallum (70 mins), Art Kernan (85 mins)

Match Statistics

Goals	Phil Doherty (2) Chris Hodgkinson (2) Paddy Taylor
Assists	Gareth Dickson Donal McCann (3) Andy Bowd
Yellow cards	-
Red cards	-
Man of the match	Donal McCann