Enniskillen Rangers 2-2 Beragh Swifts

Enniskillen Rangers began the defence of their Mercer League title with a home draw against Beragh Swifts.

Rangers fell behind after a defensive error allowed Jack Todd to give Swifts a halftime lead, but goals from Jordan McClure and Joel Byrne turned the game in Rangers’ favour before a header from Dale Robinson seven minutes from time ensured the points were shared.

Rangers boss Michael Kerr admitted the draw was probably a fair result on a day when his side failed to hit the heights of last season.

“It was a fair enough result based on the ninety minutes. We weren’t at our best,” he conceded.

“We missed chances and gave away two really bad goals. The first one was a bad mistake and the second was a set piece, so there is a lot to be worked on, but it is actually a better start than we made last year.

"We were beaten in the first game of last season so it’s not the worst start either.”

Kerr also pointed to the injury crisis that has affected their early season preparations, with only six players from Saturday’s starting line-up surviving from the final league game of last season.

“From last season eight players from our squad were missing,”  said Kerr.

“Joel Peden, Conor Rippey, Eoin McManus, Ronan Beatty, Ciaran Smith, Jake  Browne, Mark Cutler and Willie Burleigh.

"Conor Rippey is out for the season with a  cruciate and Willie Burleigh is retired, but those other six are starters in my team.

"Take them out of any team and it would be very difficult. What we have is still not bad, but we can only get stronger.

"It’s imperative we don’t lose next Saturday (against Strathroy Harps). We have to try and hang in there for the first six weeks and see where we are.”

Rangers had signed Ben Arthurs from St Mary’s Newtownabbey to deputise for Joel Peden in goal, but the new recruit was picking the ball out of his own net after 19  minutes.

Swifts had looked to counter-attack but Rangers appeared to have dealt with the danger as Jamie Robinson knocked the ball back to his keeper, but the defender under hit his pass and allowed Jack Todd to close down the keeper, with Arthurs’ attempted clearance deflecting off the onrushing striker and into the Rangers net.  

The home team did create chances to equalise in the first half, but they were unable to convert.

Adam Wood acrobatically tipped a long-range shot over the bar from Nathan Khan, and he also kept out a Stuart Rainey shot from 12 yards.

Jason Keenan then flashed a shot over the bar, before Rangers finally got back on level terms on 63 minutes.

Kyle Deery’s left-wing corner was flicked on at the front post by Khan, and  Jordan McClure reacted quickest to fire the ball over the line from inside the six-yard box.

With ten minutes remaining Rangers took the lead for the first time when substitute Deery whipped in a cross from the right that made its way through to Joel Byrne at the back post, and his deflected shot left Wood with no chance.

Beragh were not to be beaten however, and they snatched a share of the points late in the game when Robinson rose unchallenged at the front post to power a header in off the underside of the crossbar.