Tight Margins

Newry will have been disappointed not to have taken something from Saturday's game with Cliftonville when the Reds secured a narrow 1-0 victory. The match was a scrappy enough affair but, as so often the case in recent seasons, Newry were unable to grind out the result that their play deserved.

Newry were dealt a blow before kick off when it emerged that first choice keeper Andy Coleman had been hospitalised and everyone at the club wishes Andy a safe and speedy recovery from his illness. With new signing Donal Greene not cleared to play, it was left to young Nathan Morley to take the step up to the first team. While obviously a big ask for a young player, he can be proud of his performance which included a couple of decent saves.

Newry started brightly enough and after Scannell shot wide for the visitors, they had a number of decent chances to take the lead. Francis Murphy headed over from close range, Ger Rowe fired over when stretching for a Murphy cross and Conor Downey brought a decent save out of John Connolly. The visitors best chance of the half saw Garrett burst through but Morley made a brave save to deny him a goal.

Just like last week, Newry started the second half slowly, but this time around it was to prove costly. Scannell had already been denied by a fine Convery block before he got another chance to break the deadlock when he tapped home O'Connor's cross. The Reds initially looked comfortable in their lead before Gerry Flynn went for broke and brought on young subs Graham and Murray to go three up front. The injection of pace worried the Cliftonville defence and Newry fashioned three decent chances to equalise. First Murray miskicked when well placed and Connolly saved comfortably. Then Murray went close again with a rasping effort which whistled just wide. Perhaps Newry's best chance arrived when Graham got in behind the visitors defence and squared for Downey, but his shot was blocked by a defender.

With Newry pushing on, Cliftonville had a chance to double their lead in injury time. Garrett again got clear in a one on one with Morley but the keeper got down well to save his weak effort.

The games don't get any easier for Newry with high flying Glentoran visiting the Showgrounds next Saturday (kick off 3pm).

Newry: Morley, King, Black, Convery, Munster, Ferguson, Hazley (Davidson), Downey, Rowe (Murray), Murphy (Graham), Keenan. Subs not used: Feeney, McDonnell.
Newrycityfc.com Man of the Match: Conor Downey