NFC Kesh 2 Strathroy Harps 1

NFC Kesh came from a goal behind to defeat Strathroy Harps and maintain their winning start to the season.

Harps had triumphed over Enniskillen Rangers on the opening day of the new season and looked to be heading towards claiming another big scalp when they took a first half lead through Paul Lowe’s header, but Kesh hit back in the second 45 minutes, equalising through Ryan Campbell and grabbing an 82nd minute winner from Danny Wilson.

Kesh manager Campbell admitted his side were pushed all the way by Strathroy.

“They are a really strong outfit and the game was nip and tuck,” he conceded.

“I’m sure they feel they could have pushed on and got their second goal to put the game to bed, but we stayed in it and once we got our goal to make it one each we put the pressure on to get the winner.”

Strathroy had two great chances to open the scoring before they finally got the better of TJ McMulkin, but Campbell felt his side did enough in the second half to deserve the three points.

“We came back well. I made three changes at half time to ramp things up a bit and it paid off,” he said.

“It added a bit of energy to us. I scored out of nothing and that sparked us into gear. Danny scored a good goal, but then Benny Boyle went up top and we had to stand strong.

“They had a pile of corners and set plays, but we did enough to see the game out and we are really happy with the result. Looking back over it, I think maybe we created the better chances overall.

“They maybe were looking at it that a draw was a fair result, but I think we did enough to see it out.”

Harps made the more positive start and could easily have taken an early lead, but Kesh held out until just after the half hour mark.

San Robb was caught in possession, and Strathroy burst into the space he left behind on the right wing before crossing for Lowe to power a header into the goal from six yards out.

Kesh did have a great chance on the stroke of half time to level the scores, but Danny Wilson’s close range header was superbly kept out by goalkeeper Tiernan McNamee.

The game started to turn in Kesh’s favour midway through the second half, with the ever dangerous Campbell netting his third goal in two games.

The striker picked up the ball on the corner of the penalty area and drove towards the byline, before cutting back inside the defender and unleashing a shot high into the roof of the net.

The comeback was completed with eight minutes of normal time remaining.

Wilson received the ball on the halfway line and surged at the Harps defence, exchanging passes with Josh Flack and Jake Irvine before lifting the ball over the keeper to put his side in front.

Strathroy pushed player manager Benny Boyle into an advanced position as they forced a succession of late corners, but they could not find a way past the stubborn Kesh defence as Campbell’s men held on to take the points.