A three goal winning margin would suggest a comfortable victory for Newry City Reserves against Banbridge Town Reserves at The Showground’s on Wednesday night. However the score line does not reflect that this was a thoroughly competitive match which Banbridge were in right up until the last 10 minutes when Sean McMullan picked the ball up in the middle of the park and leaving his marker in his wake made ground before sliding a pass into the path of Neil Barr who smashed his first time shot into the roof of the net to make the game safe for the home side at 3-0.

The foundations for the victory however had been laid in the first 20 minutes of the first half Newry taking the lead after 12 minutes when Graeme Edgar returned a Banbridge kick out perfectly through a gap in the visiting defence which Keith Johnston ran onto before drilling his shot into the far bottom corner of the net to put the home side a goal up. The advantage was doubled on 20 minutes when Barr chased a seemingly lost cause to the end line, shouldered the covering defender off the ball and from a very acute angle curled the ball around the keeper at his near post, the ball nestling inside the far post to put Newry 2-0.

It was at this stage that Banbridge Town, marshalled at the back by Stephen Greene, became a little more combative getting a foothold in the game. However, against a Newry defence in which Stefan Martin and Micheál Hastewell were both rock steady Banbridge were limited to strikes from outside the area which brought a string of fine saves from the Newry keeper Colm McEvoy.

Newry City AFC: McEvoy, Mooney, Martin, Hastewell, Cargin, Smaryginas, Durnin, McMullan, Edgar, Barr, Johnston, Subs: Crilly, Walker, McCaul.

With the first team not in action on Saturday and with several players stripping out for the Under 19’s Newry City Reserve team manager Gary Redpath fielded a team mixed with youth and senior players for the away tie against Crewe. And in an entertaining game both groups stepped up to the mark with young Paul Hadden giving an assured performance in nets while outfield Ben Hughes and Jervis Og McCaul played their part in an emphatic victory and for the senior player players while both Neil Barr and Keith Johnston each grabbed a pair of goals the foundation for the win lay with the work rate of Newry’s Man of the Match Graeme Edgar and the ball skills and vision of Sean McMullan who tortured the home defence throughout.

It only took Newry three minutes to register their first goal, Josh Durnin slipping a through ball to Barr who smashed his first time shot across the Crewe keeper and into the opposite top corner for a stunning opener. On 12 minutes Newry doubled their advantage when McMullan and Paulis Smaryginas combined to find Hughes in space on the right wing, the youngster quick to spot Johnston’s run behind the defence on the opposite wing, his pass giving Johnston the time and space to pick out a spot in the far top corner of O’Neill’s net into which he curled the perfect shot to put the visitors 2-0 up. It was all Newry at this stage with McMullan pulling all the strings and on 25 minutes the big man laid the perfect pass through the Crewe defence for the speedster Johnston to run onto, the winger feigning to go forward, losing his marker by cutting back across goal and drilling a low shot into the near bottom corner to put Newry firmly in command.

On 35 minutes the home side almost pulled a goal back when Walsh raced down the Newry right wing, cut inside his marker and curled a dipping shot which skimmed off the top of the Newry crossbar.

This resurgence was only temporary with the goal of the game coming from the evergreen McMullan on 40 minutes. Surrounded by four Crewe players on the edge of the home penalty area it looked as if the big man was trapped. That was not allowing for his fleet of foot as he twisted and turned bamboozling the Crewe defence before playing a one two with Smaryginas and planting the ball into the same top corner as Barr had earlier hit with a first time shot for a goal which would have graced any game.

To their credit the home side kept playing football and pulled a goal back before half time when Hutchinson made ground down the right wing before pulling the ball back into the box from where McCullough drilled in a low shot which gave Hadden little chance leaving the half time score 4-1 in Newry’s favour.

After that first half there was no way that the second was going to be as entertaining and although Newry did register goal number five after an excellent run forward from Niall Crilly who skipped past two tackles before taking the ball to the by line and pulling a cross back to the six yard box from where Barr curled a low shot into the bottom corner for his second and Newrys fifth it was the Newry defence and in particular Hadden who came to the fore, the young keeper on several occasions displaying safe hands and capping it off on 70 minutes with a brave diving save at the feet of the inrushing Hutchinson to once more snuff out any Crewe threat and seal a 5-1 win for Newry.

Newry City Reserves narrowly failed in their bid to make the final of the Wilmor Johnston cup loosing on penalty kicks to Armagh City Reserves at the Showgrounds in Saturday’s semi final. Fielding a team which finished with seven under 18s, which owes much to Thomas King’s guidance, Gary Redpath’s side twice held the lead but could not hold onto the advantage losing out in the dreaded penalty shoot out.

In an exciting game Newry took the lead in the first half through Sean Mooney who ran onto a Lee Courtney pass before lobbing the Armagh keeper. Playing with a strong breeze Newry conceded the equalizer in the 40^th minute having failed to deal with a corner kick and those present would have expected Armagh to kick on in the 2^nd half with the wind at their back. And although Armagh had more possession in the 2^nd half Newry defended stoutly with the home goal rarely threatened.

With the scores remaining 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes Newry started extra time the stronger and again went ahead in the first period when Neil Barr beat the offside trap to run onto a Stefan Martin pass before hitting the top corner of the Armagh net to put Newry 2-1 up. Unfortunately the home side couldn’t hold out Armagh bagging the equalizer with seven minutes to play.

Newry pushed forward in the remaining minutes and were unfortunate not to secure the win with Cian Feehan denied by the Armagh keeper when well placed and then twice Armagh defenders cleared from the goal line, first denying Barr and then Josh Cargin. With neither side able to grab a winner the match was decided on penalty kicks, the tie won by Armagh’s keeper who saved three Newry spot kicks.

Newry City Reserves: Ruddy, King, Lundy, A.Martin, Courtney, Maguire, S.Martin, Edgar, Mooney, Barr, Finn. Subs : Feehan, Campbell, Cargin, Smyth, Hadden.

Newry City Reserves management team, Gary Redpath and Kevin Darcy were delighted to come away from Wednesday night’s league game at The Showground’s with Valley Rangers having secured a narrow victory “It’s great to get three points from that game having played with such a young team. The players are showing great desire and hunger in training and are now carrying this onto the pitch and with commitment that will translate into wins. Tonight was a good physical contest and no quarter was given. There was some good hard tackling from both teams with Micky Hastewell leading our boys with some inspirational challenges. It took us a while to get a foothold in the game but when we got settled we started passing the ball about. This second season at this level has definitely seen an improvement in our play”

The match itself was level in nearly every aspect bar the final goal count with both teams trading blow for blow. On eight minutes Valley had their first scoring chance when an ill judged back pass was intercepted by Johnny Newell who had his shot well saved by the advancing Chris Davison in the Newry goal. Play then swung to the other end where neat passing between Josh Durnin and Micky Maguire presented Joe Campbell with a shooting chance on the edge of the area, his dipping shot tipped over the crossbar by Nathan Heggarty.  On the half hour mark the Valley defence were nearly caught out by a long pass from Durnin which Campbell latched on to midway inside the half with Alan Johnson the only covering defender, Johnson doing well to force Campbell wide from where his shot was saved at the near post by Heggarty. With half time approaching Valley created a great chance to take the lead when Robert McCullough broke down the left wing, cut back along the end line and with options in the box chose to shoot his effort  from a narrow angle hitting the side netting. And as with the pattern of play there was still time for a chance at the other end. Neat passing between Durnin and Campbell was interrupted by crude challenge on Campbell on the edge of the box. When Campbell’s free kick was charged down by the Valley wall Durnin was the first to react unfortunate to see his low drive from outside the box slam into the base of the post with Heggarty beaten.

Newry introduced the experienced Niall Crilly after the break and he was to have a major influence on the game. On 53 minutes Campbell broke down the right before laying the ball back to Crilly who swung a dangerous low cross along the face of the Valley goal which required some excellent defending to clear. This should have been a warning to Valley as to what was to come but first they had a great chance at the other end. Newell chipped a perfect pass over the Newry defence which Richard Graham ran on to. With Davison quickly off his line Graham attempted to lob him unfortunate to see the ball come down the wrong side of the crossbar. On 65 minutes Crilly won a crunching tackle on the half way line before playing a classic  one two with Aaron Brilly. Now free on the right wing Crilly crossed to the penalty spot from where Hastewell powered his headed effort just wide. Crilly was not to be denied. With 15 minutes remaining Kevin Moan strode from his central defence position and played a perfect defence splitting pass into the path of the wide running Crilly. Crilly continued his run to the by line from where he fired a low cross into the Valley box where it was met by Mark McAteer who finished clinically for what turned out to be the decisive goal. That however was not until one more chance at the other end when a home defender sliced his clearance and with Newell about to pounce Rian Hand appeared from nowhere to sweep up the trouble securing an excellent win for Newry which sees them move into a comfortable early season mid table position with seven points from four games.

Man of the Match: Micky Hastewell