Lisbellaw United 0 Enniskillen Rangers 4
Enniskillen Rangers manager Michael Kerr described his team’s 4-0 victory on Saturday as the ‘complete performance’ as they brushed aside Lisbellaw at Drumad.
The visitors took the lead after just three minutes through Jordan McClure, and Jason Keenan added a second before Mark Cutler and Joel Byrne completed the victory with second half strikes.
“It was a compete performance for us,” said Kerr.
“Our starting 11 was strong but we were missing quite a few players, so overall I couldn’t have been happier with the performance, the result, four goals and a clean sheet.
“Before the game I had questioned the attacking players that we were missing too many chances and they had to start stepping up to the plate, and the four boys who I questioned all scored so I couldn’t have been happier with how the whole thing worked out.
“It was a great performance, but we need to follow it up this week. It is three points and nothing else and we need to put a bit of consistency into our league form.
“There is a small break coming up with the Junior Cup and the international break, but we want to be getting another three points at home this weekend and pushing on from there.”
Lisbellaw manager Kyle McCleery was in agreement that Rangers deserved their victory on a day when his side performed poorly.
“It was a game to forget. Rangers dominated throughout the game and thoroughly deserved the win,” he conceded.
“They always looked like they were going to be the team that was going to score. They played on the front foot, and they were hungrier and sharper than us all over the pitch. I can have no complaints with the result. We just didn’t turn up on the day.”
Rangers raced into an early lead when they won possession of the ball inside their own half and Jake Browne released Mark Cutler down the right wing. His inviting deep cross was headed in by Jordan McClure at the back post.
Cutler and McClure combined again moments later but this time Lisbellaw keeper Sam McDonald kept the ball out. Rangers were dominating possession and they were rewarded with a second goal after 30 minutes when left back Conor Rippey cut into the penalty area and fired a low cross across the box for Jason Keenan to finish at the back post.
The chances kept coming for Rangers and Cutler was denied by McDonald when he was through on goal, while at the other end of the pitch Lisbellaw’s best chance was blazed over the bar from 12 yards out by Sam Lyndsey.
Lisbellaw did threaten early in the second half when Paul Elliott turned Scott Moutray’s deep cross back across the six yard box, but Scott Johnston could not react quickly enough to stab the ball home.
Rangers were still the dominant force in the game and they made it three when Nathan Khan fed Rippey and his cross was headed into the top corner from the penalty spot by Cutler.
Khan nearly turned a cross past his own goalkeeper in a rare Lisbellaw attack, but any faint hopes of a comeback were extinguished when Rangers netted a fourth through Joel Byrne.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here