The Mighty Shane kicked off the 2017 On Tap Premier League campaign with a highly impressive draw against perennial league title contenders B52 Carnegies. In a game many expected to result in an easy win for B52, Shane showed their nerve by taking a 1-0 lead into the halftime break.
The first half was tightly contested, with Shane keeping their shape well and not giving much away. With five minutes to go before the break, Shane once again showed their potency from set pieces as Sam's expertly taken free kick to the back post found the head of his midfield partner, Zach, for him to duly nod home.
The inevitable second half onslaught from B52 resulted in two goals in quick succession, putting Shane 1-2 behind with 55 minutes gone. The lads were not to be deterred though, and fought back to claim a brilliantly worked equalizer as Small Brian, in his first game since returning to the club, capped a great performance by pushing forward from right back and swinging in an excellent cross for Hassan, who stooped low to head into the corner of the net.
Shane's jubilation turned to disbelief however, as the referee made a shocking decision to award B52 a penalty for a handball that never was. Justice was done though as the resulting pen was skied over the bar.
With the score level at 2-2, the final 25 minutes of the game were a real test of the Mighty Shane's resolve, as B52 threw men forward in search of a winner. The defense stood strong though, with particularly impressive performances from Small Brian, James, Jack, and Shane's captain, Jamie.
All in all, a 2-2 draw against one of the strongest teams in the league on opening day was a great result for Shane, and with the chances created, a win would have also been deserved. The strong performance bodes well for the rest of the campaign and the boys will certainly be looking to pick up points again in their next match against the Taipei Eagles on February 26.