Enniskillen Rangers 3 Enniskillen Town 1

Enniskillen Rangers claimed the derby spoils on Saturday as they defeated league leaders Enniskillen Town 3-1 at the Ball Range.

Jason Cluff had given the ’Gers an early advantage before a Jamie Robinson own goal left it level at the break.

However, Town were then reduced to ten men when Michael Simpson picked up a Yellow Card and a Ryan McCluskey own goal nudged Rangers back ahead.

Town finished the game with nine men as Gary Stewart was Red Carded after he was adjudged to have been the last man in fouling Joel Byrne, and Christopher Currie clipped home a wonderful effort from the resultant free kick to wrap up the points for the ’Gers.

Rangers boss Michael Kerr missed the game through illness but was pleased with the win, which sees his side close the gap to Town to seven points, with Rangers having played a game less.

“I watched the game and the boys worked hard and I thought we had a good shape. It was a good result for us,” said Kerr.

“We spoke after training last week and said that if it was level at half time we would really go for it. A draw was no use to us – we want to climb up the table as high as we can, and to close the gap on Town, and to do that we had to win the game.”

Rangers are currently on a fine run of form with back-to-back wins over Tummery and Town, and they will be hoping to take that through to the Christmas break with bottom-placed Derrychara the visitors to the Ball Range this week.

“We have been on a really good run but there is no point in beating the two main title challengers and then dropping points against the team who are rock bottom, so we will be approaching this game like we did the last two – with the mindset of getting three points and nothing less,” he added.

Town joint Manager James McKenna was disappointed with his side’s performance on the day as they suffered a second loss in three games.

“We can have no complaints – they were the better team, and wanted it more, which is disappointing to say but that’s the way it was.

“We now have Magheraveely and Mountjoy before Christmas and we need a response in those two games,” he said.

There were only eight minutes on the clock when Rangers took the lead, Connor Rippey played a one-two with Jason Keenan before firing the ball across the face of the goal for Cluff to tuck home at the back post.

Rangers then had a chance to double their advantage, but Jordan McClure headed over the bar from six yards out.

Lee Brennan went close to levelling for the away side with a fine effort from outside the box that was turned around the post by Rangers goalkeeper Joel Peden.

However, Town did hit back to level as Brennan skipped his way through on goal, and although Robinson got in to make a challenge, he sent the ball beyond Peden to make it 1-1.

Indeed, Town could have gone in at the break with the lead as a quick free was worked to Frank Wallace on the left-hand side of the box, and he picked out Brennan but he fired over the bar from 12 yards.

The second half was nip and tuck but it was advantage Rangers when Simpson was Yellow Carded for a second time ten minutes into the half.

And Rangers went on to take the lead, although they will admit that there was more than a touch of fortune about it.

Keenan broke through and although he rounded Town netminder Pat Cadden, the goalkeeper did enough to push him wide.

Keenan’s ball across the face of the goal then fell to Conall Quinn, but his attempted clearance struck McCluskey and hit the post and went in to make it 2-1.

Town huffed and puffed after this but never really threatened the goal and as the game moved into added-on time, Rangers made the game safe.

Stewart was given his marching orders as he was the last man as he fouled Byrne and Currie stepped up to fire home a delightful free kick to leave it 3-1 at the finish.