Mallards and Loughgall hot on the heels of Portadown

LOUGHGALL and Ballinamallard United each hit four goals to keep the pressure on leaders Portadown at the top of the Bluefin Sport Championship table.

After the Ports drew a blank against Newry City on Friday night, the 0-0 draw being the first points that Matthew Tipton’s team had dropped since August 10, just four points now separate the top three after the first full round of fixtures.

Loughgall were coasting at half time against H&W Welders, leading 3-0 at the break thanks to Jordan Gibson, Nathaniel Ferris and an Andrew Hoey penalty.

Lukas Gwiazda pulled one back when his close range header was adjudged to have crossed the line before Ferris got his second with a fantastic finish to secure the points.

Ballinamallard are now clear in third place after they took their winning run to four games with a 4-0 victory at PSNI.

Jason McCartney put the Mallards ahead 1-0 and they went in 3-0 up at half time after Matthew Smyth doubled the lead and Ryan Campbell netted the rebound after he had his own penalty saved.

Campbell could have had a hat-trick, with one shot coming back off the post and the PSNI goalkeeper denying him with a fine save. Instead it was Smyth who added to his own personal tally when he got his second and the Mallards fourth in the second half.

Dundela lost ground when they fought out a 0-0 draw with 10-man Ballyclare Comrades and they have now won just once in the last five games.

Ards are now just a point behind the Duns after a 3-2 win over Queen’s University stretched their unbeaten run to four games.

Queen’s had taken a first-half lead through Matthew Hughes, before Craig Harris pulled one back with his first goal in an Ards shirt.

Two goals from Dylan Wilson — also his first for the club — put Warren Feeney’s men 3-1 up and a late own-goal from Kym Nelson was just a consolation for the students.

Dergview moved to within a point of the top six with three second-half goals seeing them to a 3-1 success over Knockbreda.

Damien McNulty, Gareth Doherty and Adam Buchanan scored within half an hour of each other, with Alex Pomeroy getting one back for Knockbreda against his former club in injury time.

RESULTS: Ards 3 Queen’s University 2, Dergview 3 Knockbreda 1, Dundela 0 Ballyclare Comrades 0, Loughgall 4 H&W Welders 1, PSNI 0 Ballinamallard United 4. FRIDAY: Portadown 0 Newry City 0.