Banda bags the winner as Ducks make it back to back league wins
HW Welders 0 Ballinamallard United 1
BJ BANDA’S first goal of the season sealed victory for Ballinamallard at H&W Welders, making it back-toback league wins for the Ducks as they moved into the top half of the Championship table.
Their season had started with a run of five games without a victory, but Banda’s 75th-minute strike in Belfast on Friday evening proved decisive as they continued their climb up the league.
Having defeat Trojans 7-0 in the North West Cup on Tuesday evening, the away side went into the match high on confidence against a struggling Welders team who were just one place off the foot of the table.
Manager Harry Mcconkey made wholesale changes to the side that progressed in the cup, with only four players retaining their starting place from midweek.
BJ Banda, Shane Mcginty and Caolan Mcaleer were all among those who came back into the starting line-up, but despite the fresh legs it was a player who started on Tuesday that came close to netting an early goal, but Joshua Mcilwaine’s header was deflected onto the post.
Welders were matching the Mallards in the early exchanges and fired a shot just wide of goalkeeper Michael Lynch’s post before Lynch was called into action to gather a free kick.
Ballinamallard were getting some joy down the wings, but crosses from Mcginty, Darragh Byrne and Mcaleer all evaded the strikers as the game reached half time, goalless.
Early in the second half, the Mallards struck the frame of the goal for the second time in the match, this time from Banda.
The attacker also blasted one over the crossbar and Mcaleer had a shot saved.
Swung decisively
At the other end Mcginty twice cleared off the goal line in quick succession, but the game swung decisively in the Mallards’ favour with 16 minutes remaining.
Arkinson played a ball down the side of the centre back for Mcilwaine, and the striker cut the ball back from the byline for the inrushing Banda to smash a shot past the keeper from eight yards out.
Substitute Patrick Ferry then had a long-range effort fly just wide of the post, before he slotted past the keeper from a Richard Clarke pass, only for the offside flag to deny him.
With one minute remaining, Welders almost salvaged a point, but a deflected long-range effort struck the crossbar, with Lynch beaten.
The victory moves Ballinamallard up to fifth in the Championship table.