Stunning Comeback Sees Athlone Town Leave Wexford With A Point

Saturday, 3 July 2021 at 12:26

They trailed by two goals at three stages of the game.

An important point in the South-East has kept Athlone's playoff hopes alive.

Despite another leaky showing in defence the midlanders showed superb character to come back from two goals down at three different stages in the game and grab a 4-4 draw with Wexford.

The result leaves them trailing Bray Wanderers by three points for the final post-season birth.

That draw didn't seem likely when Wexford playmaker Jack Doherty stroked him a penalty after 48 minutes to put the home side two ahead for the first time. Striker Kyle Robinson had fired them ahead on the hour mark, he'd go on to bag a hat-trick.

𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘
A hard earned draw. #ATAFC pic.twitter.com/Zb0pYX97z9
— Athlone Town AFC (@AthloneTownAFC) July 2, 2021

All of the town's four goals came in the last half an hour.

Diminutive forward Shane Barnes hit the first of his brace on the night to bring them back into contention.

Robinson would again extend Wexford's advantage on 74 minutes only for Dylan Hand to score his first of the season two minutes later.

Athlone's hard work looked as if it would count for nought when that man Robinson cemented his claim on the match ball by finding the net a third time with eleven minutes on the clock.

The midlanders have made a recent habit of conceding late goals but this week, it was their own resolve that shone.

Shane Barnes found himself in the right place at the right time on 86 minutes to take his tally for the year to five and extend his lead as Athlone's top scorer.

Buoyed by the scent of a point it fell to Adam Wixted to find the net for just the second time this season three minutes later in the dying embers to send Adrian Carberry's side back down the M50 with a share of the spoils.

Next up for them is another away trip to Cabinteely next Friday at 7:45.

Athlone Town XI:

Mícheál Schlingermann; Tristan Noack Hofmann, Daniel McKenna, Dylan Hand, Aidan Friel; Jamie Hollywood, James Doona, Derek Daly, Adam Wixted, Kurtis Byrne; Shane Barnes.