League Report: Wexford 2 - 0 Bray Wanderers

Gareth Danaher reports from Ferrycarrig Park

A valiant team effort saw bottom-of-the-league Wexford beat joint leaders Bray Wanderers at Ferrycarrig Park on Friday night.

Goals from Emmet Morgan and Jack Doherty saw Brian O’Sullivan’s side to their first points of the season at the expense of the in-form Seagulls.

O’Sullivan made two changes to the side that lost to Shelbourne a week earlier, Corey Chambers and Owen McCormack starting in place of Joe Walshe and Liam McCartan (who left the club due to work commitments).

Bray opened the game well with Joe Doyle heading over on the 11^th minute, the first effort on goal from both sides.

Throughout the first half it was even in terms of spells of play with Wexford defending comfortably in their own half.

Bray did have chances but they were from outside the box, as they couldn’t quite sneak into the danger area as the Wexford defence stood strong.

Wexford thought they had gone in front on 37 minutes as Danny Furlong slotted the ball into the goal after a nice array of passes but, much to his dismay, it was flagged offside.

Just before the half-time whistle Derek Daly played in star man Dylan McGlade who fired his shot just over the bar. It remained scoreless at the break.

The second-half proved to be Wexford’s as ten minutes into the second half they took the lead as Nugent curled his volley into the net from just outside the box.

Furlong almost added a second three minutes later, but his left foot effort was just inches away from finding the net with Gabriel Sava well beaten.

Bray pushed for an equaliser but it wasn’t to be as they ran out of ideas, Keegan and McGlade both having efforts collected by Chambers in the Wexford goal.

The game was all over in the 83^rd minute after a lack of communication from Bray as they looked to take an early free kick.

Doherty spotted the loose pass and broke forward quickly leaving Hugh Douglas in his wake and he then turned and smashed his left-footed shot past Sava.

Wexford FC: Corey Chambers; Owen McCormack, Sean Callan, Darragh O’Connor, Lee Costello, Paddy Cahill, Ryan Nolan (Sean Kelly 72), Danny Doyle (Andrew Farrell 89), Emmet Nugent, Jack Doherty, Danny Furlong.

Subs not used: Joe Walshe (gk), Thomas Croke, Nika Arevadze, Sean Roche

Bray Wanderers: Gabriel Sava, Hugh Douglas (Jake Ellis 85), Dylan Barnett, Killian Cantwell, Paul Keegan, Dean O’Halloran, Phillip Gannon (Richie Purdy 80), Joe Doyle, Dylan McGlade, Derek Daly, Luke Nolan.

Subs not used: Adam Hayden (gk), Sean Heaney, Andrew McGovern, Luka Lovic, Brandon McCann.

Referee: Jason Mannix.

Attendance: 307 (official).

ExtraTime.ie Player of the Match: Jack Doherty (Wexford).