Disputed penalty seals Swifts' win (From Western Telegraph)

Disputed penalty seals Swifts' win

Football - Division One Goodwick United 0 Monkton Swifts 1

A hotly disputed penalty, scored by Stephen Davies after 17 minutes, gave Monkton Swifts the three points at a windswept Phoenix Park.

Constructive play was difficult in the conditions and Goodwick United didn't have a single shot on goal throughout.

The Swifts penalty was awarded by referee Phil Gale when he spotted Goodwick sweeper Steve Blackford raise an arm to control the ball in the box - although the ultra-cool Blackford didn't appear to be under pressure and vehemently protested his innocence as he pointed to his chest.

But Mr Gale waved protests aside and Stephen Davies calmly sent Goodwick keeper David Garnon the wrong way from the spot.

Goodwick attempts at a quick come-back were stymied by the redoubtable defending of Richard Hughes, Paul Jarvis and especially Darren Shaw, which meant that 47 year old manager Benno Jones was able to keep a clean sheet between the Swifts' sticks.

He was pressed into action because of an injury to Craig Reardon but he was a cold spectator almost throughout the 90 minutes.

Goodwick boss Bernie Armstrong, another of the same vintage as Jones, also played a cameo role in the last 20 minutes but was unable to do any better than the previous Goodwick strikers as the Swifts had the better of exchanges but didn't really look like a side which, Merlins Bridge last week apart, had taken the league by the scruff of the neck.

Goodwick missed two early chances to call Jones into action from free kicks and they lost striker Ryan Thomas with an ankle injury shortly after midfielder Barry Hayes was yellow-carded for a clumsy tackle.

Monkton's Jamie Callan followed him into the book after 30 minutes and the best scoring chance of the half was wasted by the Swifts following a total mix-up between Garnon and Blackford allowed Dean Driscoll the chance to gift Davies a goal but a half-hit shot was the end-product.

The Swifts had the better chances after the restart as Davies and Driscoll headed over the bar after good work by Lee Jones and Ben Nicholas, with Dai Patterson and Jones always involved for the Swifts.

Dai Hayes was involved at both ends for Goodwick with a superb tackle that halted a goal-bound run by Davies and then a back header from Steve Lewis corner that landed safely in Benno Jones arms - but that apart it was the Swifts that always looked the more likely to score.

But Driscoll and Davies were off the mark with other half chances and the final whistle saw the league leaders safely pouch the points - leaving the Davies penalty as the main talking point by both sides in the post-match discussion!