Kesh put six past Castlederg to maintain league challenge
Kesh 6 Castlederg Utd 1
KESH put six past Castlederg United as player/manager Ryan Campbell netted a hat trick to maintain his side’s push for the Mercer League title.
Goals from Kyle Malone, Gary Henderson and Jake Irvine completed a rout at Michael Connolly Park on Saturday despite Torigh Nicholas giving the away side the lead with less than 10 minutes played.
The win leaves Kesh six points behind league leaders Enniskillen Rangers with three games in hand over Micky Kerr’s side with thirdplaced Tummery Athletic still games to make up.
Castlederg sit bottom of the table but are still to play Irvinestown Wanderers and Magheraveely who reside above them.
“I was just happy enough to get the three points,” said Campbell after Saturday’s affair.
“We didn’t start too good, we had plenty of possession but were a bit flat and then they scored from our own throw-in. I’m just happy enough we did get the win at home, with the run-in now in the league, so, we need to keep racking them up.”
Mercer League 23/24
United intercepted a Jake Irvine pass to break away and earn themselves a corner to which Nicholas then scored to make it 1-0 against the run of play.
However, Kesh responded well to the opener as Alex Brownlee fed
Campbell with his back to goal just outside the box and he spun before watching the ball nestle into the net with a left-footed effort.
Good play down the wing saw Ryan Beatty find Danny Wilson who flicked the ball onto Campbell running into the box and he cut inside his man before finding the bottom corner to give Kesh the lead just after the half-hour mark.
A third followed before halftime when Malone, who had stayed up the pitch from a throw-in, struck a low shot from outside the box to make it 3-1 at the break.
Kesh continued to control proceedings as Irvine added a fourth when he volleyed home from a cross after a neat move down the wing.
Campbell completed his hat trick with 15 minutes to go when he was bundled over inside the box before stepping up to slot home from the penalty spot.
Henderson grabbed the goal of the game as he ran onto a cleared corner and drilled the ball into the bottom corner from 30 yards to help Kesh carry some scoring form into their Mulhern Cup game against Dergview Reserves this weekend.