Beragh boost fight for survival

Beragh Swifts 3 Lisbellaw Utd 1

BERAGH Swifts claimed a massive three points in their fight against the drop as they came from a goal down to get the better of Lisbellaw.

Coming into the game Swifts were without a league victory in six matches and were flirting with the relegation zone.

It looked as though that dismal run would continue when Paul Mcgrath put Lisbellaw ahead at the start of the second half, but Lisbellaw manager Kyle Mccleery felt that ultimately Beragh’s hunger for points was too much for his side to live with on the day.

“They worked really hard and I can’t begrudge them the three points,” admitted Mccleery.

“You could tell how hungry and desperate they were for the points. When they went 1-0 down they threw everything at us. They upped the tempo and changed their shape.”

Goal scoring opportunities were scarce for both sides in a tight first half. Killen struck the bar with a header from a corner, and Lisbellaw’s Peter Armstrong was denied by Adam Wood after he was put through with just the keeper to beat, but the deadlock was broken just one minute into the second half.

Sam Lindsay picked up possession in a wide area, and he whipped in a cross that was glanced past Wood by the head of Mcgrath.

The goal sparked Beragh into life and they pressed with intensity to get back into the contest, and were level nine minutes later when Sam Mcdonald parried a shot and Ben Thompson was on hand to lash in the rebound.

Lisbellaw then won a penalty when Mcgrath was bundled over as he was about to get a shot away. He picked himself up to take the spot kick, but Wood dived the right way and made the save.

Boosted by their reprieve Swifts pushed forward, and they went back ahead when Eamon Mcgrath converted a cross from the right.

Mcgrath then headed into the keepers’ arms from a Craig Johnston cross, before Beragh made the points safe with seven minutes remaining when Lee Mccullagh burst through onto a pass and slotted past Mcdonald into the bottom corner.