Ballinamallard United 3 Newington 1
Two goals in a minute helped Ballinamallard come from behind to defeat Newington and record just their second win in seven matches.
The Mallards looked to be heading towards defeat when Newington scored two minutes into the second half, but an own goal levelled the scores and seconds later Darragh Byrne put them in front, with Daniel Barker’s first goal for the senior team securing a victory that lifts them to eighth in the Championship table.
Manager Tommy Canning had made three changes to the starting line-up that had lost to Knockbreda the previous week, with Ultan O’Grady replacing John Edgar in midfield, Simon Warrington coming into the attack in place of Dylan Boyle, and Aaron Arkinson dropping to the bench in favour of Darragh Byrne.
A torrential downpour minutes before kick-off left the conditions underfoot difficult, but the home team were the quickest to adapt with Darragh Byrne firing a shot over the bar and Ryan Morris missing the target with a long-range effort inside the first five minutes.
The Mallards came within inches of taking the lead after seven minutes when, from a Newington corner, Danny Barker broke forward and set Alex Holder racing down the left.
The midfielder playing an inch-perfect cross for Simon Warrington, but the keeper got a toe to his shot and deflected the ball just past the upright.
From the corner, Morris flicked the ball on, but O’Grady’s overhead kick went over the bar.
A sliding Warrington then narrowly missed getting a crucial connection on Gary Armstrong’s low cross, before Newington managed their first effort at goal after 18 minutes, but Patrick Downey’s shot was comfortably gathered by Jamie Ray.
Ben McCaul had a looping effort into the arms of Ray, and the Mallards’ keeper was called on again moments later as he stretched full length to fingertip a Seamus Duffy shot from long range over the crossbar.
As the rain and wind continued to play havoc Ballinamallard once again broke clear, but Warrington’s effort from the edge of the area was saved and Barker’s follow up blocked by a defender as the game reached the half-time interval goalless.
The breakthrough arrived two minutes into the second half, and it was the away side that grabbed the opening goal when Ballinamallard only partially cleared a corner and from McCaul’s delivery Eamon Hughes headed past Ray.
Ray then saved McCaul’s header from six yards as Newington started to gain the upper hand, but the game was turned on its head with two goals in a minute.
The Mallards drew level with a fortuitous own goal after 73 minutes, goalkeeper Dean Smyth slicing a seemingly straightforward back pass into his net.
Seconds later Ballinamallard completed the turnaround with a goal from Darragh Byrne.
Nick Palmer collected a through ball on the byline and pulled it back for Barker. His shot across the face of the goal looked set to be cleared by the defender, but the ball held up in the muddy six-yard box and Byrne reacted quickest to stab the ball home.
Newington were pressing forward in the closing stages trying to haul themselves back into the game, and they paid the price deep into injury time when Danny Barker grabbed his first senior goal for the club.
Dylan Boyle broke clear down the right and found James McGrath.
His pull-back was met first time by Barker, who drilled the ball past the keeper to seal the victory with the last kick of the contest.
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