Un-four-gettable drama in Scarva

The two sides shared eight goals in an incident packed encounter that unusually saw both goalkeepers dismissed by the match official.

Visitors Lisanally drew first blood but Scarva’s reserve side were quickly back on level terms. David Dillon played the ball over the top of the visiting defence, Dean McCammon raced onto it and squared for the onrushing Kris Heron to slot home from close range.

A vital goal line clearance by Wayne Jordan denied Lisanally a second goal and there was more frustration for the visitors when a spot kick struck the Scarva post and a follow up shot was blazed over.

The hosts took the lead for the first time in the game when a dangerous Neil Anderson free kick struck the crossbar and McCammon reacted first to head the ball over the line.

This was tit for tat stuff and Lisanally were back on level terms, despite Gordon Magill making a good initial save.

The visitors were awarded, and then missed, their second penalty of the game, when Magill made a superb double save, before the half time whistle brought a frenetic first half to an end.

Neil Anderson forced the visiting keeper to make a smart save early in the second half but the hosts were dealt a big blow when their keeper received his second yellow card of the afternoon.

They continued to press for victory, Heron heading a Dillon corner over the bar before Heron delivered an inviting corner that Neil Anderson headed home at the back post to put his side 3-2 ahead.

Both teams were ten apiece when the visiting keeper received his marching orders but, just as Scarva had responded to the setback with a goal, so Lisanally hit the target to make it 3-3.

Anderson hit the side netting with a header and another headed effort by the influential midfielder was cleared off the line.

When a Kris Heron cross was deflected into the Lisanally net the home side were hoping it would be the defining goal of the game but the dogged visitors from Armagh refused to give up the chase and struck an equaliser with a free kick.

Best for Scarva Rangers Reserves – Central midfielder Neil Anderson was man of the match and Wayne Jordan gave another typically committed display at right back.