Ballinamallard Utd 4 Institute 0

Ballinamallard recorded their biggest league win of the season as they thumped Institute 4-0 at Ferney Park on Tuesday night.

Two goals for Joshua McIlwaine and one apiece for BJ Banda and Jason McCartney ensured they bounced back in style from the disappointment of their weekend defeat to Harland and Wolff Welders.

The win sees the Mallards sitting sixth in the Championship but had closed them to within three of second placed Newry City and five of leaders Ards in a tight top half of the table.

Manager Harry McConkey was forced into a change at the back with Darragh Byrne coming in for the injured Colm McLaughlin, and Reece Byrne dropping out for the return of the experienced Jason McCartney.

That meant an unfamiliar back three of Byrne, Arkinson and Morris, but the manager opted to stick with the attacking trio that had scored three times on Saturday, and it paid dividends.

The Mallards made the perfect start to the game when McIlwaine fired past ex-Mallard John Connolly with just two minutes on the clock.

Institute responded with an effort over the crossbar, before McIlwaine shot wide and Richard Clarke had an effort deflected past the post.

The Mallards continued to look dangerous in attack and BJ Banda had a header cleared off the goal line, with Darragh Byrne having a close range effort blocked.

Rory Brown in the Ballinamallard goal was showing no adverse effects from having conceded five on Saturday, and he was instrumental in Ballinamallard’s second, saving superbly to set up a counter attack that was finished by Banda, giving him his 11th league goal in 14 games. The keeper then saved from point blank range to ensure his side reached half time with a two goal advantage.

Ballinamallard extended their lead in spectacular style ten minutes into the second half. Jason McCartney has spent almost eleven years at the club, but he has not scored many better goals than the overhead kick from 15 yards out that extended the Mallards lead to three.

Five minutes later McIlwaine netted his seventh league goal of the season of the season to make it 4-0, and there was still time for substitute Sam Robb to rattle the crossbar as the Mallards eased to a convincing victory.