Derrychara Utd 0 NFC Kesh 4

Four second-half goals earned Kesh all three points as Ryan Campbell continued his unbeaten start to his managerial career.

The player-Manager netted twice at the start of the second period to turn the game in Kesh’s favour, before Sean McDonagh and Grant Ellis completed the goal scoring.

“It was a game of two halves,” admitted Campbell.

“The first half could have gone either way. We had a chat at half time because we were rushing our passes in the first half.

“We spoke about trying to calm things down and press a bit higher, and in fairness the boys lifted their tempo and it ended up comfortable enough in the second half.

“At 3-0, Derrychara had a couple of good chances and should have scored, and if they had taken one of those chances they might have been able to put a bit more pressure on us, but with them pressing we were able to get the fourth and kill it off.”

The result leaves Derrychara still searching for their first win in the top flight, and Manager Andy Reilly is hoping that maiden victory is not far away, having only picked up one point from a possible 15.

“I have absolutely no complaints with the result,” he said. “The better team won. In saying that, it wasn’t a four-nil game in my opinion.

“We conceded two goals in a four-minute spell after half time, which was criminal, and it was game over then. We’ve had five games up here now and nearly every goal conceded has been of our own doing.

“It has to stop soon or there will be no coming back, even at this early stage.”

There was little to choose between the sides in the first half, although Kesh came closest to opening the scoring when Lee Walker’s long-range strike was touched onto the crossbar by Josh Brownlee in the Derrychara goal.

At the other end of the pitch, Stefan McCusker was called upon to save a Mickey Hopkins effort, with Craig Johnston firing narrowly wide of the post.

The pivotal period of the game came at the start of the second half when Kesh surged ahead with two well-taken goals from Campbell.

The first was created by Nathan Cashel, who collected a throw-in and slid a pass for his Manager to dispatch past Brownlee, and moments later they went further ahead when they broke from their own half.

Danny Wilson was first to the clearance and he headed over the centre half and into the path of Campbell, who raced clear and slotted his second.

Sean McDonagh added a third when his shot from the edge of the penalty area took a slight deflection, and the points were wrapped up when Lee Walker’s short corner was turned across the face of goal by Campbell, and Grant Ellis poked home from close range.