Longford Town produced a magical comeback to beat Bray Wanderers 4-2 in a bank holiday cracker.
A brace from Jordan Adeyemo and a goal each from Cristian Magerusan and Beineon Whitmarsh O’Brien brought Longford back from two goals down to seal all three points. Writes Tony Ghee.
The hosts took the lead on 23-minutes later after a rare mistake from Town keeper Jack Brady. Whereas, Brady spilled Darren Craven’s 25-yard shot. As Chris Lyons was about to pounce on the rebound, the Longford stopper fouled the Bray striker.
Lyons dusted himself down and sent Brady the wrong way from the penalty spot for the lead.
The Wicklow side should have doubled their advantage four minutes later. Craven’s superb 23-yard effort whistled narrowly past the post with Brady well beaten.
The visitors eventually created some chances in the last ten minutes of the half. On 37-minutes, Joshua Giurgi picked out Lewis Temple from a corner, the goal bound effort was brilliantly blocked by the Bray defence.
Longford missed a glorious chance to equalise four minutes before the interval. Kyle O’Connor’s curling left-wing cross found the unmarked Cristian Magerusan just six-yards from goal, But Magerusan incredibly missed, his downward header bouncing into the ground and over the Bray bar.
Longford fell further behind three-minutes after the resumption. Craven’s free-kick was not cleared properly by the Town defence. The ball came out to Harry Groome who brilliant low shot from just inside the box produced a magnificent save from Brady, only for Massey to slot home the rebound.
The Town responded with another Magerusan header that just sailed wide of the far post. However, Ben Feeney almost got in for a third Bray goal. Town keeper Brady raced off his line to clear the danger.
Longford Town fight back
Longford almost got back into the match on 56 minutes. Shane Elworthy’s header from a Derek Daly corner was cleared of the line by Massey. Within a minute, Longford came close again but Magerusan fired over O’Connor’s cross.
A triple substitution inspired the amazing Town comeback. Gary Armstrong, Mo Boudiaf, and Adam Wixted came on for the visitors. Within five minutes, Longford were back on level terms.
On 68 minutes, a dreadful mistake by Bray keeper Mathew O’Connor gave the visitors a lifeline. Max Murphy played the ball back to his keeper who inexplicably tried to dribble past Magerusan. The Town striker dispossed O'Connor and tapped the ball into the empty net. Magerusan’s third goal in two games.
The visitors were level two minutes later. A clever chipped pass from Boudiaf was superbly headed down by Magerusan into the path of O’Brien Whitmarsh who calmly stroked the ball past the Bray keeper into the bottom corner making it two-all.
However, the introduction of another Town sub, Jordan Adeyemo on 74 minutes proved pivotal as the striker grabbed a brace.
Nine minutes from time, Elworthy slipped in Adeyemo, who calmly directed a low shot beyond the advancing Wanderers keeper Connor to make it three-two.
Town seal victory
The sensational comeback was completed in the last minute of normal time.
Substitute, Olajuwon Adeyemo played in his brother Jordan, who blasted home the Town’s fourth goal to seal the sensational four-two victory.
Whereas, the result moves Town to sixth in the league of Ireland first division table, one place off the play-off spots. Town are now wins on the trot having beaten Treaty United on Friday.
Bray Wanderers (4-3-3): Connor, Murphy, Hudson, Massey, Almirall, Groome (Crowley 55), Quinn (Walker 85), Craven, Feeney (Mahdy 85), Lyons (Chukwu 55), Thompson (O’Sullivan 85).
Longford Town (3-5-2): Brady, Elworthy, O’Brien, Temple, Hand, Elworthy, Giurgi (Wixted 74), Serdeniuk (Armstrong 74), Daly (Boudiaf 65), O’Connor, Magerusan (O. Adeyemo 86), O’Brien Whitmarsh (J. Adeyemo 74).
Referee: Declan Toland.
