Fivemiletown boss McDowell delighted ‘to get one over the line’

Chris McDowell admitted it was “good to get one over the line” against one of the so-called big hitters in the Mid Ulster Intermediate League on Saturday.

Town came from a goal down to defeat fourth placed Oxford Sunnyside 2-1 thanks to second half goals by Niall McElroy and substitute Jason Cluff.

The Valley Stadium outfit have put it up to the likes of leaders Ballymacash Rangers, second placed Bourneview, Crewe United and Oxford this season but ended up losing by the odd goal. On Saturday though Town delivered to pick up a welcome three points.

McDowell hopes that his players can take confidence from the eye-catching result.

“It was great to come out on the right side of the result against one of the big teams for a change,” said the Town chief.

“Personally I thought we deserved it. Barry (Anderson-Coulter) and I have been reflecting how we have come so close in those games and yet never got one over the line.

“But we obviously did on this occasion and hopefully that can inspire us do repeat it against teams of this calibre.”

Initially things didn’t look too promising for the visitors against Sunnyside who the previous weekend were defeated 4-0 by Linfield in the Irish Cup.

Just 17 minutes in Michael Toland opened the scoring for Oxford and that suggested it could be a long afternoon for the visitors.

But Town responded with Jack Kerr scooping over the crossbar from a Ricki Carroll cross before the same player was denied from the penalty spot short of the half hour mark.

The visitors continued to search for an equaliser on the resumption of the second half and, after David Fulton rifled wide, Town were back on terms on 49 minutes. Simon Robb picked out Kerr whose shot was parried by the Oxford net-minder and McElroy was first to react to gobble up the rebound.

Thereafter both sides sought a winner with visiting stopper Conor McCarney making a couple of excellent saves to maintain parity.

On 73 minutes tempers boiled over in the aftermath of a tackle by McDowell. Town’s player-manager and Jamie Stewart both got booked while Sunnyside had a player red carded for his part in the melee.

That handed United the advantage and, after McCarney pulled off another top save, Town grabbed a winner with just seven minutes remaining. A David Freeman corner kick wasn’t cleared by the home rearguard and, following some pinball in the box, super sub Cluff swooped to steer the ball into the corner of the net.