Kesh 3-1 Enniskillen Rangers 

Kesh moved into a three way tie at the top of the division one table with a 3-1 victory over Enniskillen Rangers. 

Rangers held a half time lead after a goal from Paul Coulter, but a quickfire double from Ryan Campbell just after half time turned the game in Kesh’s favour, and Danny Wilson’s goal direct from a corner sealed the victory with four minutes remaining. 

Kesh manager Ryan Campbell admitted they were looking to take advantage of an understrength Rangers’ team, but they were made to work hard for the points. 

“We knew they were missing a few players and we knew we had a good chance of winning, but in fairness Mickey (Kerr) had them set up well in the first half and they were hard to break down,” he acknowledged. 

“We had our chances in the first half but we didn’t convert them. At half time we talked about upping our tempo and moving the ball a bit quicker because they were sitting in compact and we needed to move them a bit more.

"We started the second half really well and within 15 minutes we were 2-1 up. It was good to turn it around.” 

“Overall, we probably edged the game. We had most of the possession in the first half.

"At 2-1 up they obviously got a lot more numbers forward to look for an equaliser and it was even enough for a while, but then when Danny Wilson got the third goal from a corner that killed the game and we were comfortable in seeing it out.” 

Rangers’ boss Michael Kerr was content with his side’s performance, if not the result. 

“We changed our shape and went with a back five, and we defended really well,” he said. 

“We were good in the first 45 minutes. In the second half we gave away two goals that could have been avoided, and then the third goal killed us. 

"We are not going to cry about the boys that are missing. We are trying to take the positives.

"There are a lot of boys playing first team football that probably wouldn’t expect to be, and on Saturday I thought they did well.

"Sometimes I don’t care about the performance if I can look every man in the face afterwards and say they gave one hundred percent, and that is what the team did on Saturday.

"There are a few positives to take, but ultimately it is the result that we wanted and we didn’t get it.” 

Kesh had failed to beat Rangers in any of their last five meetings, but they came close to opening the scoring when Lee Walker’s long range shot crashed off the crossbar, with Josh Flack firing the rebound wide of the post.

Jordan Flack then struck the frame of the goal from a header, before Rangers took the lead, Paul Coulter heading in his first goal for the club from a corner. 

Ciaran Brough then fired straight at the keeper, and Ryan Campbell had a shot touched around the post as Kesh trailed at the break. 

The home team made quick work of turning the game around in the second half however.

Lee Walker lofted a free kick from the halfway line to the edge of the penalty area, and it was flicked into the danger area where Campbell volleyed the dropping ball past Rangers’ keeper Jamie Keys.

Four minutes later Kesh went ahead for the first time in the game when Kesh won possession in midfield and Campbell released Josh Flack down the right.

His shot was saved by the legs of Keys, but the ball bounced up kindly for Campbell to head home.

Kesh sealed the win in the final minute of normal time when Danny Wilson’s corner kick drifted over the keeper and dropped in at the back post.