Lisnaskea Rovers 1 Dergview Reserves 5 Lisnaskea Rovers’ hopes of claiming the division two title suffered a setback as they fell to a heavy defeat to Dergview Reserves on Saturday.

With a draw good enough to secure promotion for Rovers an Andy Little equaliser at the start of the second half looked as though it might secure them the point they needed, but Dergview bounced back in style to keep their own slim promotions hopes alive with four goals to run out 5-1 victors.

Lisnaskea manager Darren Graham admitted he would have like to have secured a top two position, but acknowledged that a strong Dergview side deserved their victory.

“It was very disappointing,” sad Graham.

“They had three players down from the first team, and I thought those three lads controlled the whole game. For the first time all year it was a bad show from the boys, but my team selection and team formation wasn’t good either.

“When we went 2-1 down I thought that we needed at least a draw to get us promotion, so I changed it about and we went to a 3-5-2 formation.

“That caught us on the hop and they scored again and then our heads went down.”

Lisnaskea were one goal behind at half time on Saturday after Nathan Cashel had bagged the opener for Dergview but the home side got back on level terms when Brian McDermott’s scuffed shot ran across the penalty area and fell kindly for Andy Little.

The striker made to mistake from ten yards to level the match but this was as good as it got for Rovers as Dergview took control.

Gareth Sproule put them ahead from the spot after Cashel was upended and Cashel then provided the assist for Sproule’s second of the game.

Sproule had the chance to complete his hat-trick from the spot put his effort was saved by the Rovers goalkeeper although Dale Lyttle did find a fourth for Dergview.

And Jamie Burke wrapped things up with a late fifth with Cashel again involved as Dergview secured the points.

Despite the defeat Lisnaskea still remain hot favourites for promotion. They only require two points from their three remaining games to be assured of a spot in division one, and with a fixture against current leaders Mountjoy still to come, Darren reckons they still have a chance of taking the title.

“All Mountjoy have to do is draw one of their games and that leaves it back in our hands to get level on points with them,” he said.

“We definitely haven’t given up on the title yet. Our boys never say die and stranger things have happened. People have dropped points all year when it wasn’t expected.

“They have Omagh Hospitals this weekend so we are hoping that they might steal a point off them. The boys are still raring to go.

“Promotion is the main goal and as long as we get into the first division for next year we will be happy. It’s a bitter pill to swallow though because we had hoped to keep it in our own hands until the final game of the season.”