Ballinamallard Reserves 2 Drumquin United 2

The top two sides in Division Three shared the points at Fisher Park, with Drumquin snatching a draw with a last minute equaliser.

Drumquin were looking to make inroads into Ballinamallard’s five point advantage at the top of the table and took the lead through a Finnen Patterson goal, but two goals from Dylan Donnelly turned the game on its head before Dylan Mosgrove’s late equaliser.

Ballinamallard boss Ally Irwin felt his side were the better team on the day, but were made to pay for not converting their superiority into goals.

“If we had put the chances we had away we could have gone 3-1 up and killed the game, but ultimately we didn’t and that put us in a position where they could grab the late equaliser,” he said.

“It is frustrating to draw in the manner we did and lose two points so late on in the game but that is the nature of football. They were ecstatic to get the draw at the end whereas our lads were disappointed, and I think that tells you that the boys were unlucky not to win.

“Given the way the league table sits, and the fact games are running out, the draw suits us more than it suits them.”

Drumquin made a bright start to the match and Calvin Brown in the Ballinamallard goal recovered well to deny the Drumquin striker after he had initially fumbled a long range shot, but Drumquin’s pressure paid off eight minutes into the contest when Finnen Patterson’s inswinging corner went directly into the net to give the visitors the lead.

As the half progressed Ballinamallard gained control of the game and Henry Miskimmin had a header from Ben Arnold’s corner scrambled off the goal line, before they scored a deserved equaliser on the stroke of half time.

Arnold broke forward from midfield and fired in a shot that the keeper could not hold, and Donnelly reacted quickest to slot away the rebound.

Midway through the second half Ballinamallard had a great chance to take the lead for the first time.

The home team broke quickly from defence with Luke St Ledger pushing forward from deep in his own half before finding Adam McCreery with a pass up the line.

His pass released Donnelly down the right who whipped in a low cross for Conor Stewart at the back post, but the winger could not get enough power on his close range shot and goalkeeper Adam Pollock was able to get across and make the save.

It was only a temporary reprieve for Drumquin however, as the Mallards took the lead for the first time with a 76th minute goal.

Ben Arnold picked up possession in midfield and found his central midfield partner McCreery, who then slid Donnelly through, and the teenager advanced to the edge of the area before lashing a fierce drive high into the net.

In the closing minutes Ballinamallard goalkeeper Brown was at full stretch to touch a long range effort onto the crossbar, and although the Mallards successfully cleared the subsequent corner, a second corner moments later proved decisive. Drumquin lofted the cross to the back post, and Dylan Mosgrove bundled the ball over the line to grab a share of the points.