MATTHEW Buchanan grabbed a dramatic stoppage-time winner to complete a magnificent comeback at Ferney Park and power Dergview to a top-six finish in the Lough 41 Championship.
Ballinamallard Utd 1 Dergview 2
In the first minute of added time, the accomplished defender ghosted in at the back post to head a Mattie Kirk corner kick into the roof of the ‘Mallards net.
With Ards losing 4-0 at HW Welders, that precious winning goal meant Dergview had snatched sixth place by a single point.
It’s the first time that the Castlederg outfit has finished the season in the top half since the end of season split was introduced and Tommy Canning’s team can now look forward to games against Newry City, Annagh United, Loughgall United, Welders and the Mallards to wrap up what’s been a pretty impressive campaign.
Victory also meant that the ‘Derg men continue to deliver the goods on derby day.
Dergview has won two and drawn one of the three outings between the sides this season and they meet yet again this coming Saturday in the final of the North West Senior Cup at Darragh Park.
Harry McConkey will have to lift his troops for that cup decider, given that this defeat – their 11th of the season – must surely have hammered the final nail in the ‘Mallards’ outside hopes of gate-crashing the promotion party. Mathematically it is still possible for the Ducks to finish in the top two but they are in need of a miracle at this stage.
That said at half-time on Saturday everything appeared to be going according to plan for the home side.
BJ Banda had spectacularly volleyed the Ducks in front shy of the half hour mark but the Letterkenny man turned from hero to villian 10 minutes into the second half when his wayward pass allowed Jamie Browne to equalise.
Ballinamallard responded by duly going in search of a winner but, after failing to capitalise on a number of promising attacks, it was Buchanan who delivered the knockout blow at the other end.
In truth neither side threatened until Banda broke the deadlock on 29 minutes.
Sean McEvoy challenged for Richard Clarke’s first time cross from the right and Banda swooped on the dropping ball to volley inside Patrick McGarvey’s left post from 20 yards.
Shortly afterwards McGarvey comfortably gathered a Ben McCann header, that after the defender in attempting to clear his lines at the other end, headed over his own keeper Brown and onto the roof of the net.
By comparison the second half proved considerably more entertaining as the visitors upped the ante.
Just five minutes in Brown denied Kirk from the penalty spot, after a good break by McCarron on the left. Brown failed to hold McCarron’s shot and as he went to gather the ball at the second attempt he sent Kirk sprawling on the floor.
The ‘Mallards ‘keeper was however beaten on 55 minutes when Browne latched onto Banda’s wayward pass before racing through to steer the ball confidently past Brown.
By this stage the mercury was rising. A mass melee of players broke out on the halfway line but once the dust had settled referee Barry Monaghan opted against producing red and both teams finished the game with it’s full complement.
Following Browne’s equaliser, the Mallards probed for a winner with very limited success against a makeshift visiting rearguard that was missing the services of Graham Crown, Keenan Diver and the suspended Ciaran Farren.
They did have a couple of opportunities, most notably when Banda blazed horribly over following good work by Sean McEvoy.
Dergview, re-energised by the introduction of substitutes Jonny McKeown, Philip Wallace, Cathal Farren and Joel Gorman meanwhile looked increasingly dangerous on the counter attack.
From one such attack the visitors won a corner on the left and when Kirk delivered it too the back post Buchanan pounced with devastating effect.
The ‘Mallards did have one final opportunity to grab a share of the spoils but Josh McIlwaine headed over from a Banda corner kick.
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