Strathroy Harps 1 Enniskillen Rangers 1

In the end, both sides had to be content with the draw as Strathroy came from a goal down to earn a share of the spoils against reigning champions Enniskillen Rangers at Omagh Leisure Centre on Saturday.

Mark Cutler had given Michael Kerr’s Rangers side the lead following a dominant opening period from the visitors but Harps grew into the contest and levelled through Kieran McCullagh on the hour mark as the contest finished 1-1.

‘Gers boss Kerr felt it was a fair outcome although he did rue missed chances in the early stages.

“We started really well and for 30 or 35 minutes I thought we were excellent. We should have been two or three up and if we had got a second after we opened the scoring it would have killed the game.

“However, after that Strathroy came more into it and after they equalised they could have taken the lead although we then had a few chances to score late on. I suppose overall it was probably a fair enough result, we haven’t beaten them down there this last two years so to take a point is a positive. I do think it was one of our better performances of the past few weeks,” stated the Rangers manager.

Rangers host Dergview Reserves at the Ball Range this week and Kerr will focus on improving their play in the final third of the pitch ahead of that game.

“We will work on our play in the final third this week, we need to be a bit more clinical in front of goal.

“Hopefully we will be able to get back to winning ways this week,” he added.

Rangers began the game on the front foot and Christopher Currie had an early effort from a half volley that forced the home goalkeeper Antczak into a good save.

James Turley then fired just past the post as Rangers continued to press while Mark Cutler also missed an opportunity.

And with 20 minutes on the clock Rangers got the goal that their early endeavours deserved.

Turley picked out David Crozier with a good ball and when he pulled the ball across the goal, Jason Keenan left it for Cutler who made no mistake in tucking the ball to the corner.

Rangers continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges although Strathroy did start to grow into the contest as the first half progressed.

And the Harps were much more of a threat in the second half as they swooped to level with an hour gone.

Substitute McCullagh, who was introduced at the break to give the home side more of an attacking threat, saw his 25 yard effort beat Jerome Carleton in the ‘Gers goal to make it 1-1.

After this the home side pushed on for a second and Carleton made a good save from a Tommy Murphy header before then thwarting another effort by Murphy while Kevin Sloan also went close for the home side.

In the closing stages though Rangers had chances of their own to snatch the win.

Kerr came off the bench and twice went close to edging Rangers back ahead.

Richard Johnston and Willie Burleigh combined to set up the player-manager but although his right foot shot beat Antczak, the experienced Marty Flanagan cleared off the line.

Five minutes later Kerr had another chance when he got on the end of a Crozier cross but he headed at the goalkeeper.

And Johnston then had an opportunity to win it when he got on the end of a Currie corner but he sent a glancing header wide of the post as the game finished 1-1.

Harps manager Benny McElholm was in agreement with Kerr about the result being a fair one on the day.

“They had started on the front foot and took the game to us and deserved to take the lead. However, our younger boys started to settle and we had a bigger say in the second half and I would agree that a draw was a fair result.

“From our point of view, it was a good point against the champions and it keeps our momentum going. We are away to Beragh this week and hopefully we will be able to keep our good run going,” he stated.