A slow start but in the end a straightforward 3-0 win secured a welcome three points for Newry City at home to Broomhill on Saturday. With 11 players who have played first team football this season unavailable Newry manager Darren Mullen speaking after the match was content with the result “It was far from our best performance of the season especially in the first half but it’s a welcome three points and hopefully gives us a platform to move forward”.

With debutants in goal and at centre back Newry took a while to settle and for the first half hour Broomhill, aided by a strong breeze, looked the most likely to score, Newry indebted to both of the new faces for keeping Broomhill out. Twice centre half Micheál Hastewell made last ditch blocks to deny the visitors clear shooting opportunities inside the box and when Broomhill did get through Conor Ruddy’s handling did not let his side down. That said Broomhill did spurn two excellent chances to open the scoring first when the Newry defence were caught out as they attempted to play offside, Newry fortunate to see the Richard Nesbitt’s shot blaze over the bar and they were let off moments later when Jason Harper broke down the left wing, cut back inside the box only to blast his shot over Ruddy’s bar when a crossed ball looked the better option.

Graeme Edgar had Newrys first real effort on the Broomhill goal after 33 minutes his strike deflected for a corner from which the home side had a great chance to open the scoring, Jimmy Walkers cross falling to Mark Patton who from the centre of the penalty area was unable to keep his snap shot down. Newry seemed to gain impetus from this phase and soon went a goal up. Again Patton was involved his shot from outside the box deflected for another corner. This time Walker swung in a high cross which was held up in the wind, Ian Curran reacting first to loop a clever header from the edge of the six yard box over the Broomhill defenders on the goal line to give Newry the lead. The home side created a further chance just before the break, Edgar chipping the ball into the box to Patton who with his back to goal nodded the ball back to Sean McMullan, his toe poked effort from the edge of the box forcing a smart save from Samuel Allen low to his left.

Newry were gifted an excellent opportunity to double their advantage on 54 minutes when referee Andrew MacDonald adjudged that Allen had handled a back pass awarding Newry a free kick to the right of the six yard box. Again Walker hit the Newry dead ball, his hard and low strike deflected to McMullan who made no mistake as he picked his spot in the far top corner of the Broomhill net to put Newry two goals up.

Harper was the liveliest of the Broomhill attackers and on the hour mark he slipped the Newry defence but was once more denied by Ruddy who was quickly of his line to snuff out the threat. Play moved immediately to the other end with Lowry cut down outside the Broomhill penalty area. With everyone expecting a cross to the back post Walker spotted McMullan’s run across the face of the goal finding him with a pitched free kick, the big man unlucky to see his hooked effort back over his shoulder cleared from under the cross bar for a home corner.

David O’Connor was having an excellent game at left back and almost rounded off his Man of the Match display with a goal on 70 minutes. Walker found Sean Hand on the corner of the box with a quick corner kick, Hand rolled the ball across the edge of the box where O’Connor met it with a smashed first time shot unfortunately straight at the Broomhill keeper who could only palm the ball up in the air, McMullan again unfortunate with his headed effort which crept over the crossbar.

Newry continued to dominate play creating a series of goal scoring chances all from headed efforts. First Curran powered in a header which Allen was forced to tip over his crossbar. From the resulting corner Patton rose highest but his effort skimmed the crossbar and finally in the 90th Joe Campbell floated the ball into the box for Lowry to stretch guiding his header over Allen to notch Newrys third and final goal of the day.

Whilst dealing with the present Mullen clearly has an eye on the future of the club “With further changes to the team today it took us a while to settle and playing against a strong wind the first half was difficult. We were better in the second half and it was good to keep a clean sheet. The fact that we had so many players missing today and won was also pleasing given recent results. We had two 18 year olds making their debuts and also had 16 year old Jordan Copeland in the squad. To build a sustainable club we need these young lads coming through and hopefully when we get everyone back we can match performances with positive results.

Newry City’s next match is away to Craigavon AFC on Saturday 17th January @ 2pm. Newry City travel club bus will leave the Stone Bridge @ 12:45pm.

Newry City AFC: Ruddy, Crilly, O’Connor, Hastewell, McCaul, Walker, Patton, Edgar, Sean Hand, Lowry, McMullan Subs: Smyrnginas, Campbell, Curran, Rian Hand, Cargin, Copeland.

Newry City will look back on Saturday’s game in Fivemile Town as points which were thrown away. On a poor sloping pitch Newry chose to play against the gradient in the first half and with 40 minutes gone were very comfortably sitting a goal to the good. However by the time referee Porter blew for half time Newry were getting beat 2-1 and to make matters worse were down to 10 men.

With Captain McMahon buzzing about middle of the field and centre forward Mark Patton winning every ball which was knocked forward Newry dominated the opening period but had to wait until the 27th minute to open the scoring through a goal crafted by Niall Crilly. Receiving the ball in his right back slot Crilly advanced into the opposing half, played a one two with Mark Lowry before swinging in a low cross, out of the reach of the home defence but perfect for Patton who planted his first time shot past Crawford to give Newry a deserved lead. As often happens a team is most vulnerable after scoring and Fivemiletown almost equalized minutes later, first when McDowell shot from outside the box, his effort bravely deflected wide by the head of Paul Donegan and then from the resultant corner, Murphy alert to smother the cross at his near post. Newry weathered this flurry and appeared content to play the half out but committed the cardinal sin on 40 minutes when passing the ball along the back line, the ball nicked away by Carroll who now with only Murphy to beat gave the Newry keeper little chance as he tucked the ball into the corner of net. Rattled by this Newry compounded the error by allowing Fivemiletown’s Johnston a free header at the back post from a 43rd minute corner, the big defender making no mistake bulleting his header into the roof of the Newry net to put his side 2-1 up. And if the travelling support thought things couldn’t get any worse they were soon proved wrong when referee Porter was quick to brandish a harsh second yellow card of the day at Donegan for a simple trip which left the visitors with 10 men and up against it in the second half.

However in his half time team talk Newry manager Darren Mullen would have been able to point out to his team that for the majority of the first half there was only one team in the game and Newry certainly had a renewed vigour to start the second period with Mark Lowry’s speed giving the home defence problems. This avenue bore fruit on 56 minutes when Lowry was cut down inside the box by Anderson, referee Porter baulking at issuing a red card even though the defender was clearly the last covering player. When Sean Hand blasted the penalty home it looked as if Newry were right back in the game. However the comeback was short lived as on 66 minutes Newry were once more caught out defending a corner, this time Gillispie rising unchallenged to head past the defenceless Murphy. And try as Newry might to get back into the game for a second time the loss of Donegan plus injuries to McMahon and Johnston had given them too much to do and Fivemiletown hung on to the victory. Speaking after the game Mullen was clearly despondent with his teams display “It’s a very frustrating result as it was a game we were a goal up and coasting. However individual errors and indiscipline have cost us again. We’ve been missing seven players for our last two defeats and clearly we need to strengthen the squad and that’s something I’m working very hard on. Hopefully we will have a few fresh faces over the next week or so”.

Newrys next game is on Saturday 10th January at home to Broomhill, kick off 2pm.

Newry City AFC: Murphy, Crilly, O’Connor, Donegan, Martin, Hand, Walker, McMahon, Patton, Smyrnaginas, Johnston Subs: Lowry, Barr, Edgar.