2, 3, GO

Dergview 1 Newry City 3
Sweeney - Havern, Grant, S Hughes

Newry began life in the Championship with a difficult looking trip to Castlederg to take on a Dergview side who had finished a good third in this division last season. The travelling support arrived at the County Tyrone venue to find a neat ground with a decent playing surface that seemed in particularly good order given the torrential rain that was falling.

The first half opened with those away supporters who had missed pre season trying to work out exactly who was who among a team of some familiar older faces and plenty of new, younger ones. Dergview were well organised, but Newry matched their commitment in a competitive first half that lacked much goal mouth incident. Stand out performer was Freeman who was doing a good job in front of the back four. Newry looked just about the better side, but the closest we came to a breakthrough was when Darren King's speculative cross almost caught out the home keeper who tipped the ball onto the woodwork.

Dergview were defending deep and happy to hit on the break, but as the second moiety began, they were looking the more dangerous team. Their number 10, who was probably Campbell (but in the absence of team sheets (ha!) I'm guessing), got in behind on more than one occasion, but was let down by poor finishing. However, we were caught out just past the hour mark with a goal that was, like all of them, very preventable. Carville slipped in midfield on the wet pitch, and Dergview broke but we had plenty back. We chose not to clear, Ian Curran coming closest, and the ball fell to Vincent Sweeney (no teamsheet required) who chipped home. The previously quiet home support roared their approval and some of us felt that all too familiar sinking feeling.

But credit to the away support who responded by increasing the level of their already impressive vocal support. On the pitch, we responded pretty well too, but it seemed that the closest we were getting to cutting edge was the advertising hoarding behind the goals. We were game but toothless. But we were game. A neat piece of play from Marty Havern saw him slip past a defender in the box. The big fella tripped him. Stonewall penalty. Not given. Yellow for diving. Insult to injury. Funnily enough, I thought the referee did ok to keep control of what was a competitive game. Yes, he missed that. And yes he sent one of ours (Hand) off for two yellows, before calling him back when it was pointed out to him that he'd only actually shown him one. But he got most of the rest of it ok and had the good grace to smile at your correspondent when he was trying to pull our players off the fence during our extended celebrations following our late winner. Sorry, have I given away the ending? Sure you've read the result at the top of the page.

Back to that. Like I said, we were game. Last twenty, we looked fitter and came at them in waves. At last we were working the home keeper and he did well to keep out efforts from Carville and Curran. Last ten (or so) and free kick to us. Havern blasts it low. Deflection. And in. Rub of the green. We were (over)due. Tight margins and all that.

Plenty would have taken the point, but these youngsters haven't worn the shirts long enough to become crippled by self doubt, fear and a tendency for shooting themselves in the feet. It'll probably come, but after umpteen late, sickening defeats last year, this was our turn. 87 on the clock. Corner. Half cleared. Back in. The lively sub Timmy Grant scoops home. Genuine delirium among players and supporters down by the fence.

Still time for the catastrophe, but instead Newry broke and Grant fed sub Rambo Hughes who slotted home the goal of the day. 

Our first league win of 2011. Honest. A perfect day for all concerned. The joy of victory added to the realisation that we'll have to improve if we're to progress in this league. So plenty to work on. The way it should be.

Newry: Buchanan, King, Curran, Copeland, Donegan, Freeman, Carville, Hand (S Hughes), Havern, M Hughes, D Hughes (Grant). Subs not used: Masterson, Devlin, Morley-Hillen
Newrycityfc.com Man of the Match: Darren Freeman