Ballinamallard manager Mark Stafford admitted that a tired second half display against Institute cost them victory, as Stute fought back from a goal down to win at the Brandywell.
The Mallards made a good start and took the lead early in the match, but on a large pitch, his team struggled to match Institute’s energy levels as the game progressed, with the home team scoring an injury-time winner.
“We were good in the first half, but we ran out of energy in the second half,” admitted Stafford.
“Their midfield started to control the game, but they weren’t creating many chances and we were still comfortable enough.
"Then we started to concede a few set pieces and that put the pressure on us, and we eventually conceded from a free kick.”
In the reverse fixture earlier in the season Ballinamallard were ahead with six minutes remaining before conceding twice to lose the game, and Institute repeated that feat on Saturday, scoring deep into added time again to snatch the win.
“They have been a bit of a bogey team this last few years, and it was the same story on Saturday,” said Stafford, who watched his team fail to beat Stute for the sixth consecutive game.
“The winner was disappointing. Not only was it in the 94th minute but it was from our own goal kick.
"We were under pressure in the second half, but up to that, we were dealing with it very well.
"It is obviously a blow to the lads conceding so late in the game.”
The NIFL Championship table is so tightly packed that one game can have a significant impact on the standings.
Victory for the Mallards at the Brandywell would have lifted them up to fifth place, but Stute’s fightback mean they will go into November in lower reaches of the table.
They currently sit just two points above the relegation play-off spot, but with no fixture scheduled for this Saturday due to three members of the squad travelling to the Regions Cup tournament, a Newry victory on Saturday could send Ballinamallard into the bottom two.
“It is not where we want to be, but it is still very tight,” said Stafford, who is already looking forward to a trip to play Armagh City on Saturday week.
“We have to target three points, but it is going to be very tough. They have had a good enough start to their season and they are a team that beat us at our place, so we want to try and go up and avenge that if we can.
"Hopefully, with a break on Saturday, we will get one or two bodies back in. We are hoping that Aaron Arkinson will be back around that time, and Josh McIlwaine was unavailable at the weekend and we will have him back as well.”
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