Newtownstewart 1 Ballinamallard Reserves 3 

Two late goals from Ballinamallard maintained their one hundred per cent record in Division Two, with Ethan Thompson and Ben Arnold adding to Dylan Donnelly’s early goal as they claimed all three points against Newtownstewart.

Newtownstewart recovered from a shaky start to draw level with the Mallards midway through the second half when Daniel O’Neill fired through a crowded penalty area, but two goals in the final seven minutes from two substitutes swung the contest decisively in Ballinamallard’s favour. 

“On the balance of play we deserved to win it,” reckoned Reserve manager Ally Irwin.  

“I was disappointed to concede a goal in the manner we did, but when you reflect on the game there were very few chances for Newtownstewart compared to the amount of chances we had.

"I felt we should have had two or three in the first half, so it nice to see us convert them towards the end of the game.

"I never felt that we were going to lose the game, but with the amount of chances we had missed during the game, it would have been easy to think that maybe it wasn’t going to be our day. 

"Thankfully we have plenty of options both on the pitch and on the bench, and on Saturday our replacements came up big for us. On a really warm day, they came on and took their chances when they got them.

"Newtownstewart are a good side and on their pitch, they are going to be very hard to beat for everybody.” 

The visitors had put eight goals past Mountjoy in their opening league game, and they looked as if they were set for another significant goal haul when they went ahead after just four minutes.

After dominating the early possession they worked the ball out to Conor Stewart on the left wing, and he showed good footwork to evade two defenders and fire the ball low across the penalty area for Dylan Donnelly to tap in at the back post.  

The Ducks continued to press forward and John Edgar had a goal-bound header from a corner blocked on the line before Donnelly cut inside the full-back and rattled a cross off the crossbar.

Moments later Edgar also found the frame of the goal as he crashed a half-volley off the bar after getting on the end of Stewart’s cross.

Dean Corrigan then headed just over from a corner, but as the half progressed Newtownstewart looked more solid in front of goal and they were limiting Ballinamallard to long-range efforts, with Adam McCreary having a shot from 25 yards saved by Dean Arnold.

The home team had a great chance to draw level when a free kick found O’Neill in space six yards from goal, but he missed his kick and Ballinamallard scrambled the ball clear. 

There was little to choose between the sides for much of the second half, and Newtownstewart dragged themselves back into the game when O’Neill collected a long throw and swivelled to fire low into the corner of the net.  

Newtownstewart then hit the crossbar, but as the game entered the closing stages Ballinamallard started to regain the upper hand.

Corrigan’s close-range header from a corner was well saved by goalkeeper Arnold, before substitute Ethan Thompson had a shot from 8 yards blocked by the legs of the keeper.

Thompson made amends moments later when from Benn Arnold’s long throw Edgar flicked the ball on and the striker blasted home.  

Ballinamallard sealed the win in the final minute of normal time when pressure from Thompson forced the home defence into a rushed back pass, and Arnold nipped in ahead of the goalkeeper to stab the ball home.