Newry City 1-0 Ballinamallard

Ballinamallard are still looking for their first league points away from home after they lost out by the slenderest of margins to Newry City on Tuesday evening.

The Mallards missed an early penalty in their second away game of their season, and Newry made them pay with a goal from Ryan McNickle after 30 minutes proving decisive.

Mark Stafford welcomed back Aaron Arkinson after suspension, with the captain coming into the starting eleven at the expense of Nathan Sherry.

Ryan Morris also returned to the defensive ranks with Josh McIlwaine dropping to the substitute’s bench as the manager reverted to four at the back.

Ballinamallard had a poor recent record at the Newry Showgrounds having lost on each of their last three visits, but Newry came into the game as one of only two teams not to have secured a victory across the three opening fixtures of the NIFL Championship season.

From the first whistle, Ballinamallard looked like they could inflict another defeat on City, and within five minutes they were rewarded with a penalty when Callum  Moorehead was brought down inside the area by Noel Healey.

The Ballinamallard players felt that Healy should have received a red card for the offence, but the referee deemed he had made an attempt to play the ball and only brandished a yellow.

Aaron Harkin stepped up to take the spot kick, but goalkeeper Conor Mitchell dived to his right to make the save.

Despite the penalty miss the visitors continued to take the game to Newry and Danny  Barker was causing the home defence problems.

The closest he came to giving his side the lead followed a Moorehead cutback, but his shot was saved by the legs of Mitchell.

Newry took full advantage of their reprieve when, against the run of play, Newry took the lead when Donal Scullion’s pass released Ryan McNickle, and he slotted past Joel Little.

In the second half, Ballinamallard changed formation in a bid to grab the equaliser and they had opportunities at goal from Barker and Moorehead but the Newry defence clung on to their slender lead to take all three points.  

The defeat leaves Ballinamallard ninth in the Championship, with another away game up next, as they travel to Wilgar Park to play Dundela on Saturday.