Ballinamallard scored three second-half goals in their victory over Newington, with manager Tommy Canning admitting the win and the goals were badly needed.

The Mallards had gone over 600 minutes of football with only one goal to show for it before they scored twice in 60 seconds to turn the game in their favour on Saturday.

“We wanted to win and we wanted goals, and on that front it was a good day,” acknowledged Canning.

“Up until today we had one win in six, and I said that to the players before the game. We had two goals in six, and that is not acceptable for where we want to be.

"A wee bit of apathy had maybe set in after the 4-0 defeat to Bangor that burst the bubble on the top six for us.

"The players were challenged on Saturday to repay the people that do all the work behind the scenes in order to allow us to play football, and they delivered. We needed that result.”

After the quick-fire double had turned the game in Ballinamallard’s favour, Danny Barker netted an injury-time third goal to record his first senior goal for the club.

The striker had been a member of the Ballinamallard Academy since he was five years old, and the manager was delighted with the contribution of Barker, as well as the performance of man of the match Jamie Ray and the rest of the youthful members of the squad on the pitch at the final whistle.

“It’s Danny Barker’s first senior goal for Ballinamallard which is fantastic,” acknowledged Canning.

“We ended the game with Nick Palmer, who was superb when he came on at centre forward, Danny Barker, Aaron Smyton, Dylan Boyle and Jamie Ray, all former Under-18 players, which is brilliant going forward for the future.

"Danny deserved his goal, I thought Aaron Smyton was superb at left back today, and I’m delighted Jamie Ray got man of the match.”

The first half of the game followed a frustrating familiar pattern for the manager as the Mallards created a succession of chances without converting them into goals, but they came to life in the last 20 minutes when they fought back to turn the match in their favour.

“The way the game turned was maybe a bit fortuitous for us, but I thought we were good,” said Canning.

“In horrendous conditions, particularly in the first half, I thought we were really resilient and created some very good chances. At half-time we were in some ways, not disappointed, but that thing of creating chances and not taking them was there again.

"We asked the players not to have a start to the second half like we did last Tuesday against Knockbreda, but the first goal we conceded was really poor.

"That forced us into a change of shape. We took off a midfielder and brought on Nick Palmer and went 4-4-2 and I thought that caused them all sorts of problems, and from that point on we really were in control for large parts, bar the last 10 minutes when they had a few counter-attacks.”

Ballinamallard got back on level terms when the goalkeeper sliced a clearance into his own net, and the rain-sodden pitch played a part in presenting a chance for Darragh Byrne to score the second goal, but Canning felt they earned their good fortune.

“The first goal is a huge mistake from their goalkeeper, but it is coming from a period of pressure we are putting on them,” he said.

“There are balls going into the box and there are bodies high up the pitch. The keeper is put under pressure and just miskicks it.

"Darragh then had a tap in at the back post, but he needs to be there to get that to happen. He is coming in off a wide area, and we are constantly asking wide players to get in at the back post and that was pleasing.

"We probably could and should have tagged on another few before we eventually got the third.”

Ballinamallard welcome Dergview to Ferney Park this Saturday, and after failing to win either of their two previous matches against their relegation-threatened derby rivals, Canning is determined to build on Saturday’s win with a second consecutive victory.

“We desperately want to win that derby game, and we will be going all out to do that,” he said. “We want to finish the season strong and we want to win games, and we especially want to win derby games so Saturday will be a big game for us.”

Simon Warrington will miss the remainder of the season as he is undergoing an operation on his foot and Peter Maguire remains on the injured list, but Josh McIlwaine is available again after suspension and Callum Moorehead will have a late fitness test ahead of Saturday’s clash.