In a commanding display, Abbey Villa F.C 2nds triumphed over Rosemount 2nds with a resounding 5-1 victory in local derby friendly match held at Ballywalter's "Bear pit." The match kicked off at 12:00pm, showcasing a blend of tactical prowess and individual brilliance from the Abbey Villa side.
Abbey Villa adopted a 4-3-3 formation, which allowed for a dynamic attacking approach while maintaining a solid defensive structure. Ben McConkey stood guard in goal, with a back four comprising Curtis Shannon on the right, Jake Rainey and Matthew Edwards as central defenders, and Charlie Nelson on the left. The midfield trio featured Daniel McFarland on the right, Louis Gault-Reid centrally, and Marcus McGrath on the left, providing both creativity and support to the forwards. Up front, Thomas Drysdale and Kyle Irwin flanked striker Carson Mann, who was expected to lead the line and convert chances into goals.
The substitutes for Abbey Villa included Joshua Colville, James Edwards, James King, and Mathew Burke, all of whom were poised to make an impact from the bench.
The match began with Abbey Villa asserting their dominance early on, as Thomas Drysdale tested the Rosemount goalkeeper with a shot in the 7th minute, but it was saved. Carson Mann followed up shortly after, sending a shot wide in the 10th minute, signalling Abbey Villa's intent to attack.
The breakthrough came in the 18th minute when Matthew Edwards scored with a well-placed header, courtesy of a precise cross from Charlie Nelson. This goal set the tone for Abbey Villa, who continued to press for more. Just six minutes later, Nelson himself got on the scoresheet, scoring from outside the box with his left foot free kick finding the bottom corner, doubling the lead to 2-0.
In the 32nd minute, Carson Mann added a third for Abbey Villa, converting a penalty after Kyle Irwin provided a short pass that led to the foul. Rosemount managed to pull one back just before half-time, capitalising on a defensive mistake from Abbey Villa in the 43rd minute, leaving the score at 3-1 as the teams headed into the break.
The second half saw a flurry of substitutions for Abbey Villa, with James King, Mathew Burke, and James Edwards all entering the fray, replacing Daniel McFarland, Carson Mann, and Jake Rainey respectively. Joshua Colville also came on for Matthew Edwards, as Abbey Villa looked to maintain their momentum.
Despite Abbey Villa's dominance, Mathew Burke's attempt in the 52nd minute went wide, and James Edwards' effort in the 61st minute sailed high. Kyle Irwin then had a shot saved in the 67th minute, as Abbey Villa continued to press for more goals.
Carson Mann re-entered the match in the 68th minute, replacing Thomas Drysdale, and he soon made his presence felt again. In the 71st minute, Mann scored his second of the match in a goalmouth scramble, with Kyle Irwin providing the assist.
Mann completed his brace in the 80th minute, converting another penalty after Marcus McGrath was fouled in the box, bringing the score to 5-1. As the match drew to a close, Louis Gault-Reid had a chance to extend the lead further in the 83rd minute, but his shot went wide.
Abbey Villa F.C 2nds showcased a blend of tactical discipline and attacking flair, with Carson Mann's hat trick and contributions from the entire squad ensuring a comprehensive victory over Rosemount 2nds. The performance will undoubtedly serve as a confidence booster as they look ahead to their upcoming fixtures.
Whilst there were great displays all round. With some stand out performances from Curtis Shannon, Carson Mann & Kyle Irwin. Man of the match on the day went to Kyle Irwin, for a fantastic performance on the day showing his attacking and defensive attributes.
