Chris Forrester to the rescue as St Pat's hold Mura in Euro battle
SAINT ALIVE; Chris Forrester of St Patrick's Athletic celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round First Leg match agaisnt NS Mura at Richmond Park in Dublin. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
He lives for the big occasion does Chris Forrester and when his St Patrick’s Athletic side needed inspiration on the European stage he delivered in spades.
Just like last year’s FAI Cup final, the diminutive midfielder picked the right moment to surge from midfield to score. His equaliser on the hour – a sumptuous volley on the run – means it’s game on for next week’s next second leg in Slovenia.
NŠ Mura are a club of richer resources, reaching last year’s group stages of the Conference League, and in Dublin last night they had four starters from the side that toppled Tottenham Hotspur from the finest hour of their relatively short history.
They looked to be cruising towards a further run into the competition when Kosovan international Mirland Daku nicked the lead on 28 but Forrester’s leveller – despite Mark Doyle incurring a straight red in stoppage time and being suspended – gives the tie a completely different complexion for the return.
St Pat’s return to European competition following a three-year absence was a partisan affair but the depth of dereliction at the Inchicore venue was borne out by their inability to use two of their four stands.
Uefa’s rule forbidding terracing restricted the attendance to 2,700 fans, explaining the desire of owner Garrett Kelleher to relocate across the road to St Michael’s House. Since that proposal, unburdening the taxpayer, was knocked back by the Government four years ago, the billionaire reset plans back to base. The promised refurbishment can’t come quick enough.
Though a title challenge is beyond St Pat’s, leaving a legacy of European nights from the season isn’t. Bohemians saved last year’s campaign with their run deep into the Conference League and the scenes of summer fervour at the Aviva Stadium.
Inchicore was a world away in terms of scale but the cacophony of noise that greeted the players onto the pitch was amplified by a sizzling Saints start. Within the first minute, Mark Doyle nipped past his marker on the right before squaring into a congested penalty. The ball fell to Barry Cotter but the newcomer on loan from Rovers spurned the chance of being an instant hero by blazing over from close range.
Matko Obradovic then went full-stretch to bat away Anto Breslin’s angled drive and Forrester raked a shot wide from 25 yards wide as Clancy’s side remained on the front foot.
It was the jelly-like foot of Harry Brockbank, however, that gifted Mura the opener. No danger was apparent when the recent arrival from Bolton Wanderers received the throw from Cotter but his undercooked back-pass to Joseph Anang was gobbled up by Mirland Daku, who skipped past the advancing goalkeeper and stroked into the empty net.
Drained from the Saints was their zest and feeling sorry for themselves almost cost a second. Luckily, Daku wasn't as alert when from Luka Bobicanec’s 34th free-kick, allowing the ball to float over his head.
Joe Redmond offered hope for Pat’s approaching the break by steering a header wide of the far post and it was the catalyst for their second half revival led by Forrester.
Brockbank almost atoned for his blunder when glancing wide but the experienced playmaker was more clinical. Anticipating Eoin Doyle would control and lay off Cotter’s throw-in, he timed his run to acrobatically connect with a volley that beat the goalkeeper and went in off the crossbar underside.
Obradovic stooped low to thwart another Forrester shot with seven minutes left but the main drama was left till the last action when Doyle walked for an off-the-ball clash with Klemen Pucko – himself fortunate to avoid an early dismissal for a lunge on Forrester.
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