Kesh maintain title push as Elliott takes Rovers job

NFC Kesh have continued 2018 where they left off at the end of last year as their title push continued with a 5-1 win away to bottom of the table Lisnaskea Rovers on Saturday.
Mark McCauley and Nathan Cashel both bagged braces while Jordan Flack also got on the scoresheet for Nicky Noble’s side as their challenge for honours at the top of the table continues to gather pace.
However, at the other end of the table it is all about survival for Rovers with George Elliott and Michael Smyth having taken over the reins for the second half of the season from Darren Graham who stepped down from the position.
For Kesh boss Noble though it was key to get the new year off to a winning start.
“It was a lacklustre enough performance from us and I think we were a bit rusty following the break but we did play some good football at times, especially for the goals.
“It was good to get the win and put another three points on the board. The Lisnaskea game had the potential to be a banana skin for us with them having a new management so we are just glad to have won,” stated Noble.
Kesh made a bright start to the game and with eight minutes on the clock they broke the deadlock through McCauley. Jack Thompson’s ball was dummied by Cashel to McCauley who fired to the top corner of the net for 1-0.
And the visitors were to go on and double their advantage. Alex Holder was fouled 25 yards from goal and Cashel stepped up to crash home a superb free kick.
It got even better for the away side Holder, Cashel and Jones all linked up to tee up McCauley who tucked home from eight yards.
Lisnnaskea though were given a lifeline just before half time when Kevin Curran slotted home a 20 yard free kick to make it 3-1 at the break.
Indeed, Rovers enjoyed the greater possession in the opening 25 minutes of the second half and Jason Flanagan was denied by the visiting goalkeeper as he looked to cut the deficit further.
However, the game was killed off as a contest in the 70th minute as Kesh swooped for their fourth goal of the game as Cashel finished off a good move by passing the ball beyond Matthew McGrade in the Rovers goal.
And Kesh wrapped things up as Jordan Flack fired home left footed from the edge of the box to leave it 5-1 at the end.
Rovers boss George Elliott acknowledges that staying in the division is the sole goal for them at this point of the season.
“A good season for us will be finishing third from bottom, it’s as simple as that,” said Elliott.
And he feels that Kesh are a good example for Rovers to follow with Nicky Noble having brought a lot of former Kesh players back to the club this season.
“They are where we want to be, a local club with local players. We’ve a lot of players with other Fermanagh and Western clubs and we had hoped to entice at least some of them back but unfortunately that hasn’t happened yet,” he said.