Longford errors punished

SOCCER/UEFA Cup, first qualifying round: Their record in Liechtenstein's cup may be outstanding but on the international stage FC Vaduz's record of 20 games without a win was less awe-inspiring when this year's draw for the UEFA Cup was made a month ago.

The statistics have improved a little after facing Longford Town, however, and having completed a remarkable double at Flancare Park last night they'll not forget their Irish opponents in a hurry.

Two very late goals for the locals may have sent what remained of the 3,000-strong crowd home with some small measure of consolation but for those back in the home dressing-room the defeat will go down as yet another significant embarrassment for an Irish side in Europe.

"It was disastrous," said Longford goalkeeper Stephen O'Brien afterwards. "The defending was awful and we made three bad errors which you can't do in Europe. You have to remember they're a full-time outfit and we're not but that's no excuse for the fact we never got going.

"They got sloppy towards the end and we nicked two goals but over the two legs they were definitely the better side."

The first meeting had been a fairly tight affair with Longford holding their own for the best part of the contest before conceding a goal 17 minutes from time. The late Michele Polverino strike at the Rheinpark Stadion was a blow but the away result appeared to provide a basis for the Irishmen to progress. That was until Marius Zarn doubled the aggregate lead four minutes into last night's second leg.

The goal, the product of a decent cross from the left by Michael Stocklasa and a fine finish by Zarn, who was under pressure from Seán Dillon, left Longford needing to score three times, a tall order for a team whose meagre strike rate - 11 goals in 20 league games - explains their lowly position in the Premier Division table.

Longford were incapable of performing even in the team's traditionally stronger departments as their midfield failed to impose itself and the back four looked shaky almost every time their more composed and technically superior visitors ventured forward.

The hosts' best chance of the first half came 10 minutes in when Dessie Baker's cross from the right should have been headed in from close range by Eric Lavine.

Late in the half the locals might have had a penalty when Franz Burgmeier looked to have bundled Shane Barrett over as the striker sought to close in on Dillon's angled ball from the left.

On both occasions the Swiss second division outfit were a little lucky to escape but on balance there could have been few complaints about the lead they held at the interval for it would be 20 minutes into the second half before Longford managed their first attempt on target in the two games.

By the time it came, though, courtesy of a close-range Baker shot that was blocked by Daniel Hasler, humiliation was more or less assured for Alan Matthews' men.

Just prior to the break Alan Murphy had almost scored what would have been a memorably comic own goal but within four minutes of the restart Burgmeier beat O'Brien well after a neat move down the right and Thomas Weller made it 3-0 with a close-range header, his first touch of the game, after 55 minutes.

Late on a measure of Longford pride was salvaged when first Dean Fitzgerald scored with a fine finish from eight yards, and then Barry Ferguson. The second came two minutes from time and as the game moved into injury time Dessie Baker sent a powerfully struck 30-yard drive crashing off the underside of the crossbar.

For the supporters the late surge provided a lift at the end of a depressing evening. For their players, though, it can only have driven home how costly those errors in the first hour had been.

LONGFORD TOWN: O'Brien; Murphy, Ferguson, Paisley (Keegan, 44 mins), Dillon; Baker, Kirby (Perth, 59 mins), Sheridan (Fitzgerald, 30 mins), Prunty; Barrett, Lavine.

FC VADUZ: Silva; Telser, Hasler, Ghouri (Weller, 53 mins), Michael Stocklasa (Gerster, 63 mins); Zarn, Perez, Martin Stocklasa, Polverino, Burgmeier (Obhafuso, 85 mins); Dos Santos.

Referee: G Orlic (Moldova)