League Report: Bray Wanderers 2 - 0 Wexford

Gareth Danaher reports from the Carlisle Grounds

Bray Wanderers picked up their first league win of the season on Friday night against Wexford at a rain sprayed Carlisle Grounds.

Goals from League of Ireland veteran Gary Shaw and youngster Andy Moran were enough to earn a win for the Seagulls over Wexford.

Bray started off better in the first moments of the game with Gary Shaw playing in a cross, but Tom Murphy was quick to collect.

There was an early shout for a spot-kick for the hosts – when Bray’s pacey left back Dylan Barnett was taken down inside the area by Wexford’s shot stopper Tom Murphy – but the referee wave away the protests.

But Alan Carey pointed straight to the corner flag as the ball came off Murphy last and wasn’t having any of Barnett protesting for a penalty.

John Ross Wilson had the chance to put the home side in front on the 21^st minute as the ball was played across the box by Ryan Graydon and he stopped with the ball, placed his aim but just shot wide of the target.

Bray’s pressure finally told when they scored the opener with Graydon looping a ball into the far post which found the skilful Shaw.

The forward finished well by slotting the ball into the bottom right corner of Murphy’s goal.

The last few minutes of the first half were quite scrappy and that was proven when Wexford’s Janabi Amour committed a late tackle on Barnett. Amour was noted in Carey’s book and shown a yellow card.

The second half started brightly for Wexford as Karl Fitzsimons delivered in a peach of a ball which deflected off Cantwell and dropped to Kaleem Simon, but he struck right into Maher’s hands.

Bray could have possibly added a second in the 54^th minute as Barnett tricked and turned his man and played in an inviting ball to Tristan Noack-Hoffmann but he fumbled his shot and blasted over.

Neither side had a clear chance as it was again quite scrappy football in the middle of the field but went close again through Ross Wilson.

His effort that wasn’t meant to be a shot – he delivered a stunning ball into the area and the ball skimmed the cross bar and dropped to Dan Tobin who cleared it away.

With fifteen minutes left Bray’s Andy Moran drove forward on the counter attack at speed along with Barnett in support who he passed the ball off to.

He drove in a low ball but Wexford vice-captain Conor Crowley cleared it to safety for a corner.

Moran’s endeavour was finally rewarded at the death when he got his first senior goal in the 90^th minute to seal all three points on the board for the Seagulls.

He becomes Bray’s youngest scorer at 16 years and 135 days with a goal that wrapped up Bray’s first win of the season.

Bray face Midlander’s Longford Town next Saturday evening away while Brian O’Sullivan’s Wexford are home to Galway United.

Bray Wanderers: Brian Maher; John Ross Wilson, Dylan Barnett, Killian Cantwell, Paul Keegan (Captain), Ryan Graydon (Joe Doyle, 83), Gary Shaw, Derek Daly (Jack Watson, 67), Tristan Noack-Hoffmann, Luka Lovic (Andrew Moran, 74). Leigh Kavanagh.

Subs not used: Adam Hayden, Aaron Barry, Brandon McCann, Luke Nolan.

Booked: Gary Shaw (8).

Wexford: Tom Murphy, Karl Fitzsimons (Sean Roche, 86), James Carroll, Dan Tobin, Conor Crowley, Cian Kavanagh, Kaleem Strawbridge-Simon, Janabi Amour (Conor English, 68), Karl Manahan (Patrick O’Sullivan, 84), Charlie Smith, Paul Cleary.

Subs not used: Colum Feeney, Craig Giles, Lee Costello, Kristian Crawford.

Booked: Janabi Amour (37).

Referee: Alan Carey.

Attendance: 1,106 (official).

ExtraTime.ie Player of the Match: Dylan Barnett (Bray Wanderers).