Enniskillen Rangers 0 Strathroy Harps 1

Enniskillen Rangers Manager Michael Kerr was far from happy with his side’s performance following Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Strathroy Harps at the Ball Range.

Tommy Murphy’s first-half goal was the difference between the sides as the ’Gers slipped to a second defeat of the campaign, and Kerr didn’t mince his words in his assessment of the game.

Lack of energy

“The intensity wasn’t there and that’s not good enough.

“There was a lack of energy; we were standing off the opposition player and allowing them to pick out passes and that definitely wasn’t the game plan.

“Something was not right, and it is up to me to rectify it.

“If they don’t do what they are asked to do, then they won’t win games,” said Kerr.

And the games get no easier this Saturday with a trip to Castlederg to take on Dergview Reserves.

“It is one of the toughest games you can get now, and I’ll be looking for a response and there could well be changes,” he added.

Strathroy though have been enjoying a good start to the season with three wins and a draw from their opening four games, which leaves them two points adrift of early pacesetters Enniskillen Town and Tummery Athletic.

Rangers did have a good chance early in the game to take the lead when Nathan Khan was put through one on one, but he shot at the goalkeeper.

And Jordan McClure then found himself well placed to get on the end of a Jason Cluff cross, but the striker failed to make contact with his header from inside the six-yard box.

Strathroy made Rangers pay when they then swooped for the only goal of the game.

The visitors broke from a Rangers corner at the other end with Paul Lowe racing forward before finding Murphy, who ran on to the ball and produced a superb lobbed finish from 35 yards out for 1-0.

Crossbar

Rangers did push on in the second half and Cluff did hit the underside of the crosssbar, but the ball didn’t cross the line.

That though was the only real threat to the Harps goal as Benny Boyle and Stevie Sloan in the centre of their defence marshalled things well.

Both sides huffed and puffed over the remainder of the contest, but the ’Gers could not find an equaliser as Strathroy returned home with the points on offer.