Written by James Smith
Photo by James Smith
MK Irish 6-0 Dunstable Town
SSML Premier Division
Saturday 16th November 2024
This game against league leaders MK Irish was never going to be an easy one but it was made even more difficult with the loss off influencial and regular starters Jamie Ovington and Lewis Smith with injuries.
Will Bishop was injured in training in the week and Liam Hayden suspended following his dismissal last Saturday.
Manager Steve O’Reilly had to shuffle his pack, which meant starts for JJ Kenna, Joe Hankins and Frankie Bircham with Under 18’s players Billy Goodwin and Alfie Young coming in on the bench.
Town started well and more than matched the favourites for the league title in the opening ten minutes with Sam Ezenwaka trying to create an opening but his cross was cleared to safety.
The game turned on twelve minutes when Alex Desmond, who has been in fine form the last few games, uncharacteristically misjudged a cross, which enabled James Meadows to flick a near post header over the Town keeper to give his side the lead.
MK Irish were ruthless from then on in as Dunstable struggled to get near their opponents as the home side dominated the ball.
On 14 minutes Mason Spence headed just wide followed by an effort from George Shrieves, which also narrowly missed the target.
Six minutes later it was 2-0 when a Meadows shot was tapped home by Jordan Wright from close range.
The game was virtually out of reach when Town conceded a penalty in the 26th minute, which Spence confidently despatched.
Town were shell-shocked but managed to get some composure for the next ten minutes until a shot from the hosts took a deflection for a corner, which ended with another shot narrowly wide.
Just before half time Desmond did well to save Meadows’ shot, while Alfie Osborne headed over from a corner at the other end. Hankins then had the last shot of the half before the referee ended a difficult opening forty five minutes for the visitors.
Dunstable made a good start to the second period when Ezenwaka almost scored but his shot was well blocked by the MK Irish defence.
A melee broke out when Tom Silford was late with a tackle, which also saw Irish goalkeeper Tom Ladyman cautioned for running the length of the half to needlessly get involved.
Desmond saved well from Spence in the 51st minute but Irish increased their lead soon after when Callum Hirst fired home a fourth goal.
The hosts were relentless and scored a fifth just before the hour when they broke away down the left, a superb cross found Meadows to convert with ease inside the six yard box.
The final goal game on 65 minutes when Clinton Zawe headed home unmarked from another ball into the area.
Luka Lodder headed at goal with twelve minutes left, which was diverted for a corner.
The two Town youngsters, Goodwin and Young came on with six minutes of normal time left to get their first experience of Premier Division football and showed some good moments that showed why they deserved their chance.
It was a difficult day at the office for Dunstable but they have been doing really well of late and just met a ruthless opponent at the wrong time.
Team: Desmond; Kenna, Silford; Bircham; James; Osborne; Hankins; Butt; Ezenwaka; Mead; Lodder.
Subs: Goodwin; Briggs; Young; Greene; Onu.
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