Limavady United 1-2 Ballinamallard United 

Ballinamallard secured their first away win of the season with an injury-time winner from Darragh Stewart earning them a 2-1 victory at the Limavady Showgrounds.

The Mallards survived a missed penalty before Jamie Dunne poked in from close range to give them the lead.

They were pegged back early in the second half with a Graham Crown equaliser, but in the second minute of added time, Darragh Stewart fired into the bottom corner of the net to earn the Mallards all three points. 

Ballinamallard went into the contest still stinging from the late reversal against Institute a week previously, and manager Mark Stafford made a single change to the starting line-up with central defender Richie Johnston returning after two games on the substitute’s bench in place of Nathan Sherry.

Limavady had made a great start to life in the Championship and had climbed to second in the league table after a run of six games undefeated.

They started like a side high in confidence and quickly showed they posed a threat on both wings as they threatened to get in behind the Mallard’s defence in wide areas.

The home team were presented with a great chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot after 13 minutes.

Aaron Harkin lost possession in midfield and Limavady worked the ball out to their left wing, with the winger outpacing Tiernen Campbell, before the right back’s sliding tackle resulted in a spot kick for the home team.

Former Ballinamallard player Michael McCrudden stepped up but fired his shot wide of Joel Little’s right-hand post. 

As the half progressed Ballinamallard started to gain the upper hand and they took the lead after 26 minutes.

Danny Barker carried the ball forward from midfield and laid it back to James McGrath.

His pass found Ryan Morris who delivered a high cross to the back post. It looked as though the recovering defender would deal with the danger, but Jamie Dunne intercepted his weak header before poking past the keeper. 

Ballinamallard’s lead was wiped out five minutes into the second half when Graham Crown rose highest in the penalty area to head an in-swinging free kick past Little, and the goal sparked Limavady’s best spell of the game.

They forced a succession of corners, but the Mallard's defence held firm and slowly the visitors got back on top again. Stewart came close to restoring the Mallard’s lead when he cut inside a defender, but his shot was blocked.

Stewart was not to be denied, however, and he made no mistake when another opportunity came his way.

Harkin’s pass towards Barker on the edge of the Limavady penalty area fell into the path of Stewart who swivelled past one defender and drove past a second challenge before firing a low shot across the keeper into the far corner of the net. 

There was still time for a late surge from Limavady and it needed a last-ditch block from Richie Johnston to ensure Ballinamallard claimed the points. The victory lifts the Mallards to sixth in the league table.