Newington 1-0 Ballinamallard

Ballinamallard’s habit of conceding late goals came back to haunt them once again on Saturday, as Newington scored an injury-time winner to take all three points.

The Mallards knew victory over the Championship’s bottom club would open up a ten-point gap in the battle to avoid the drop, but Patrick Downey’s 94th-minute goal has sucked Ballinamallard back into the battle at the foot of the table. 

Manager Mark Stafford had lost Gary Armstrong to injury since the team’s victory over Ballyclare the week before, and he was one of two changes in the starting line up with James McGrath dropping to the substitute’s bench, and Sean McAteer and Ultan O’Grady coming back in. 

Newington had not managed a victory in any of their previous seven games, but they started brightly and carved out the better chances in the first half.  

Paul Donnelly pulled a shot wide of the post from the edge of the penalty area for the home team, and Darren Stuart then collected a lofted pass from Gerard Storey and cut inside Nathan Sherry, but from eight yards out he scuffed his shot and Joel Little was able to gather with ease.  

Little was called into action moments later when Storey’s pass down the channel on the right found the striker, but Little was quickly off his line to smother his shot. 

Ballinamallard’s best opportunity of the first half came from a set piece. Jamie Dunne whipped in a free kick and Ryan Morris rose highest to flick the ball towards the back post, but Nathan Sherry’s stooping header from inside the six-yard box rose over the crossbar. 

Dunne’s then had to execute a last-ditch tackle in his own penalty area to deny Fiontan O’Boyle an effort at goal, and Newington captain Richard Gowdy blasted a long-range effort over the bar as the game reached halftime goalless. 

Ballinamallard looked more threatening at the start of the second half, with last week’s hat-trick hero Danny Barker denied by a well-timed stretching tackle from Aodhfionn Casey just as he was poised to shoot.  

Jamie Dunne then collected a long diagonal pass from Morris and accelerated past the full-back before advancing along the byline, but from a tight angle the keeper blocked his attempt to squeeze it in at the near post.

The ball bounced back to Barker who was able to hook the loose ball goalwards, but Jack Reilly headed off the goal line. 

With full time approaching Ballinamallard created a great chance to take the lead when Darragh Stewart’s touch from a cross field pass carried him clear of the defender.

He squared the ball for James McGrath at the back post, but from the corner of the six-yard box his side foot finish flew the wrong side of the post. 

The Mallards were made to pay for their miss in the fourth minute of added time.

Newington advanced down the right wing, and a cross took two deflections on its way through the penalty area before it fell to Patrick Downey, and from 10 yards out his first-time finish back across Little won the game for the home team.