Newry City bounced back to form with a comprehensive victory over Banbridge Rangers in front of a large crowd at the Showgrounds on Friday night. In need of a moral boosting victory after last week’s abandonment in Craigavon the home side produced a commanding performance in which they made the most of an early goal to dominate the form side in the league eventually running out 4-0 winners.

The early goal which paved the way for Newry came after 8 minutes. Jimmy Walker swung a left wing free kick into the box and when Chris Davison was unable to get enough into his attempted punched clearance Conor McCaul latched onto the loose ball before finding Mark Lowry who shot first time hard and low into the corner of the Rangers net to put his side a goal up. The away side had a great chance to draw level on 12 minutes when Andy Mallen whipped a high cross into the Newry box, Jerry Philip rising highest on the edge of the six yard box but was unable to direct his header under the Newry crossbar. McCaul and Lowry combined to make an excellent chance for the home side minutes later. From midway inside his own half McCaul picked out the run of Lowry with a perfect pass which the winger latched onto in stride taking the ball into the box only to be denied a goal scoring attempt by a perfectly timed tackle from Rangers defender William Frazer.

Sean McMullan who led the Newry attack all evening was the next to threaten Davison’s goal, the big man picking up a loose clearance just outside the box making room for a shot which slipped the wrong side of the far post with Davison stranded. McCaul however was not to be denied and was central in the goal on the half hour mark which Newrys play had deserved. Once more winning a tackle inside his own half McCaul, who oozed class all evening, strode forward with the ball skipping past a couple of Rangers players before laying the ball off to Walker. Walker in turn spotted the run of Chris Fay and slipped the ball through the Banbridge defence which the winger got to before the advancing Davison to poke the ball past the keeper and into the net to double his side’s advantage. The same player had a great chance to put Newry further ahead on the stroke of half time when a long kick out from Peter Murphy was misjudged by the Rangers defence leaving Fay with a run on the Banbridge goal. With the option of passing to the unmarked Lowry, Fay chose to shoot his effort saved by Davison with the ensuing goalmouth scramble petering out to leave the half time score 2-0 to Newry.

The second half started slowly only coming to life in a five minute period either side of the hour mark during which Newry scored two goals to seal the win. On 58 minutes Murphy picked out Lowry on the half way line with an inch perfect kick out, Lowry played a give and go with Chris McMahon before running at the Rangers defence and laying the ball into the path of McMullan who sped past his marker before hitting in a low shot which Davison blocked with his legs, the ball spinning up into the air to the back post where Fay reacted first to nod home his second goal of the evening. And goal number four soon followed, Fay again involved winning the ball inside his own half before spraying the ball wide to Lowry. With the whole of the Banbridge half open for him and only one defender to beat Lowry made some ground before crossing to McMullan arriving inside the box, McMullan using all his experience to round Davison and roll the ball into the empty net to put Newry 4-0 up.

Rangers tried to get back into the game and were twice denied by goal line clearances by Niall Crilly first from a Chris Chambers header from a corner and later when the Newry man swept up behind his goal keeper Murphy after he was beaten by a Jonny Porter effort. These chances however sandwiched an attack which should have ended in Newrys 5th goal of the night. Rian Hand played a long pass up field to Newry’s Man of the Match McMullan who showed great skill to control the ball on his chest and back heel it into the path of Neil Barr. Barr immediately helped it into the box to Fay who was chopped down from behind, referee Gerry Murray who had controlled the game in his usual calm and friendly manner, pointing straight to the spot. With two goals already in the bag and the match virtually over Newry allowed Fay the chance of his hat trick. But having won the chance himself Fay was unable to get the better of former Newry keeper Davison who got down quickly to his left to push Fays effort around his post for a corner.

And so ended a very pleasing evening for all connected with Newry with manager Darren Mullen happy with both the team play and the result ”This was a very good performance from start to finish with the final score certainly not flattering us. Whilst I’ve stated in previous weeks our performances haven’t been good enough we are a better team than we have been showing but we needed to start proving that. We showed our intent from the first whistle and were dominant throughout. Recent games against Banbridge Rangers haven’t been easy and tonight we had to match them for effort as well as playing the good football we are capable off. Thankfully we took enough of the chances we created and while we could have scored more a four goal win against any team above you in the league is always welcome. The players have now set themselves a high standard and we will need to maintain that in the cup next week against Tandragee.

Photographs courtesy of Brendan Monaghan Photography.

Newry City AFC would like to thank our partner broadcaster Destination Newry for the full coverage of the game which is available to watch at http://destinationnewry.com/find-previous-programme/newry-city-afc/1516/

Also thanks to Mickey Cummins for the video clips of Sean McMullans goal celebration and an interview with Newry Manager Darren Mullen. Links below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By4nZfrXgqo

Newry City team: Murphy, Crilly, R.Hand, McCaul, S.Hand, Patton, Walker, McMahon, Lowry, McMullan, Fay. Subs: Barr, Durnin, McConnell, O’Connor, Curran.

A match which started off so well but ended with another three points dropped away from home will be how Newry City look back at Saturdays defeat at Banbridge Rangers. Newry manager Darren Mullen can take some positives from a game which his side dominated for the first half hour, albeit aided by the elements, and had they converted another of the chances made then the result might have been different. That however has been the story of Newrys season thus far and they were punished by a Banbridge side who managed to score against the strong wind which set them up for a second half during which the wind and rain if anything got worse, Rangers determination helping them to see out a 3-1 win.

Although Adam Beattie had the first attempt on goal of the day for Rangers after three minutes it was Newry who played all the early football and they could have gone ahead moments later when Chris McMahon picked out centre forward Mark Patton who nodded the ball down into the path of Sean Hand, the Dundalk man unable to get enough into his shot to test Chris Davison in the Rangers goal. With the wind at their back it was sustained Newry pressure McMahon again setting up the next scoring chance, this time for Jimmy Walker who with his back to goal swivelled on the spot only to see his half volley sail over Davison’s crossbar.

The pressure was building with Barr the next to test Davison having benefited from another Patton lay off. The opening goal duly arrived after 18 minutes when referee Gerry Murray who had another good afternoons officiating, awarded Newry a free on the edge of the box after Barr was taken down. From a central position it was Walker who stepped up to curl the free kick to the top corner of the Banbridge net despite Davison’s best efforts.

One goal was never going to be enough and Newry threatened again on 25 minutes when David O’Connor pushed forward into the Banbridge half before releasing debutant Dean McConnell on the Newry’s left, the winger stepping inside before firing in a low show which narrowly missed the base of the Banbridge post with Davison beaten. With Newry growing increasingly frustrated Rangers grabbed that elusive goal against the elements after 37 minutes. Faced with a long throw in from the left wing Newry could have been forgiven that the danger had passed when Peter Murphy produced an excellent reflex save to push Jonathan O’Neills powerful header around his post. With the resulting corner cleared out of the box the Newry players attempted to push out of defence alas allowing O’Neill to ghost in at the back post to connect with a curling cross this time giving Murphy no chance with his header to level the scores at half time.

The second half was a story of chances missed and chances taken. Like the first half rangers had the first opportunity to score Andy Mallen slipping a through ball for Johnny Porter who squared up with Murphy, the Newry keeper coming out on top to keep the sides level. Newry hit back, the ball bobbling around the box before looking to have landed on Pattons lap, the big man denied by Gregg who cleared with the striker in the act of shooting. Newry had the bit between their teeth at this stage looked sure to score on the hour mark when a corner was recycled into the Banbridge box to Barr who connected perfectly only to see his effort blocked by some resolute Rangers defending.

Defensive bravery was rewarded on 70 minutes when a long ball into the Newry box was only partially cleared to Adam Beattie who crashed the ball into the Newry net to put Banbridge a goal up. And minutes later the Mallens combined with Stuart looking sure to score only to be denied by some excellent covering defending by Niall Crilly who headed the ball from the Newry goal line. Buoyed by this reprieve Newry mounted some sustained pressure on the Rangers goal, Crilly moving forward to create two opportunities both of which went begging. The first came on 75 minutes when he crossed from the right wing to Barr who had his shot blocked, Crilly then repeated the move minutes later firing in a low ball which beat everyone to go harmlessly wide.

And as so often happened for Newry this season they were made to pay for these misses when Banbridge attacked with ten minutes left, a crossed ball fell perfectly for Stuart Mallen who blasted an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the Newry net to seal the points for the home side.

Newry manager Darren Mullen was reflective after the game “There’s no doubt we are in a hole at the minute but we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We aren’t having any luck in front of goal and could have been a couple up today. Basic errors are costing us dearly. Hard work is what’s need and as a group that’s what we will do. We are not nearly as bad as recent results suggest but it’s only through perseverance and belief in what we are trying to that we will come through this. If we can do that and finish the season in the right manner then as a group we will be all the better for it.”

Next up, Newry now travel to AFC Craigavon (Saturday 7^th March). Newry City Travel Club will be running a bus departing from the Stonebridge from 12.45 sharp. All are welcome.

Newry City AFC Team: Murphy, Crilly, McCaul, O’Connor, Curran, Hand, McConnell, Walker, McMahon, Patton, Barr. Subs: Edgar, Johnson, McMullan, Fay.