Fulton bags a hat-trick as Slane see off bogey team

Disaster struck for Slane only three minutes in when a high hopeful ball was flicked onto the striker who chased in and half volleyed past the helpless Graham for the opening goal.

Slane were soon back on level terms when Gareth Fulton was fed a great through ball and he dinked one way and then the other and rounded the keeper and tucked the ball into the empty net.

The locals were controlling the midfield and after some aerial winning headers from Moore and G Bingham the ball was eventually flicked to that man Fulton who raced in and again rounded the keeper to send Slane in front with a well taken goal.

Gareth Bingham hit the foot of the post with his shot but was upended at the same time but the ref waved play on when he should have pointed to the spot for a penalty.

On the half hour Whitten split the defence for Fulton to use his pace and he skilfully zoomed in on goal and hammered into the bottom corner past the Town’s keeper for his third of the game.

Slane were cruising until a defensive error let the Lurgan striker in on goal and he lobbed the ball wide of the advancing Graham and it nested in the back of the Slane net.

Two minutes later the visitors were level when a corner was swung into the six yard box and the Slane players were slow to react and the ball was hammered past the Slane keeper and into the net.

Whitten found Mark Ervine and his shot was well saved by the young Town keeper and the danger was cleared.

Davenport replaced the injured Kerr at left back at the break and he was soon in action making a good tackle and squaring the ball to Davy Boyd who found Fulton and his fierce shot was well held by the keeper.

Ten minutes in the visitors were again gifted a goal on a plate when a defence pass back came up short and the striker nipped in to place the ball into the back of the net.

Slane went on the attack and Fulton, Whitten and Ervine all had shots go wide of the mark.

Cochrane hit wide from distance and then Whitten found Davenport on the edge of the box and he chested down and half volleyed goal bound but the keeper pulled off the save of the game touching it over the bar.

Overall a poor defensive display on the day by Slane who will want to put this game behind them but on the positive note new signing Gareth Fulton displayed his lethal touch in front of goal and was awarded man of the match.

Team: R Graham, R Weir, D Boyd, N Cochrane, N Bingham, J Davenport, A Moore, C Kerr, J Whitten, G Bingham, M Ervine, G Fulton, J Gibson, J Adair, N Fry, M Anderson.