'I don’t know how he hasn’t given a red card' says Stafford

The Mallards conceded two second half goals on Saturday as Ards snatched a last-gasp draw at Ferney Park, and on Tuesday evening Newry beat  Stafford’s side by a solitary goal at the Showgrounds, but the manager felt his side deserved more.

“The players were absolutely outstanding,” he said after the defeat to Newry. “I couldn’t ask any more of any of the players that played.

"They were outstanding to a man. Every one of them. The ball just didn’t go in and that was what was missing. Both games feel like points dropped, to be honest.

"We deserved more out of both games.”

Stafford felt particularly aggrieved about the nature of the Newry defeat. The Mallards had started well and after five minutes they were awarded a penalty when Callum Moorehead was pulled to the ground before he could roll the ball into the net.

The Newry keeper saved the spot kick, but Stafford felt the referee should have sent off Noel  Healy as he had not made a genuine attempt to play the ball.

“We started the game really well and won a penalty from what was going to be a certain goal,” Stafford explained.

“Callum Moorehead was dragged down when he was about to tap it in. He was pulled down inside the box and the referee has given a yellow card instead of a red.  

"I don’t know how he hasn’t given a red card. The ball was about five or six yards from both of the players. Callum was getting there for a tap in and he was pulled down.”

Aaron Harkin’s penalty was saved but the setback did not halt the Mallard's dominance of the game, and they continued to look the more likely to score until Newry hit them on the counter attack half an hour into the contest.

“We missed the penalty but it didn’t affect us and we were still on the front foot,” said Stafford.

“We were very good, and their keeper makes a couple of good saves. The ball just wouldn’t go into the net for us, and then they hit us on the break.

"In the second half, we put them under pressure and  changed the shape and went at them, but we couldn’t force the ball in.”

The defeat was the second disappointment for Stafford in quick succession after Ards had come from two behind to grab a draw in Saturday’s game at Ferney Park.

“We had a few players unavailable and we changed shape to a 3-5-2 to match Ards up and it was a super first half,” said the manager, who saw his side race into a 2-0 lead.

“We limited them to very few chances and we punished them.

"Danny Barker hurt them in behind. In the second half, they changed shape and went to a 4-4-2 and they were causing us problems in the wide areas.

"We had to counteract that, but we just didn’t have the options in the full-back areas to try to deal with it.

"We conceded a poor goal from a restart. The game was stopped for five or six minutes and the ball was dropped back  into play and we don’t even touch it before it ends up in the net, and then we conceded a 94th-minute equaliser from a corner.”

Ballinamallard will have a chance to get their first away points of the campaign this  Saturday when they travel to Dundela, but Stafford is expecting a tough test against a team who are among five sides locked on seven points at the top of the league table.

“Dundela are coming off the back of a fantastic result,” said Stafford.

“They have beaten Welders 3-1, who were unbeaten before Tuesday, so they are going to provide a huge challenge.

"They didn’t have a good result against Limavady at the weekend, but they responded well. That is the league. It is going to be tough. We will see how  everybody is on Thursday night at training and go again.”

Ballinamallard emerged from two games in quick succession without any new injury concerns.

Aaron Smyton will be back in contention for selection for Saturday and Josh McIlwaine is hoping to have shaken off a neck issue that limited his minutes during the midweek game.

Gary Armstrong and Simon Warrington remain on the injury list and unavailable for Saturday’s game.