F&W Division 1
Lisbellaw United 6 Augher Stars 1
LISBELLAW United bounced back in ruthless fashion, hammering Augher Stars 6-1 in Drumad to get off the mark at the second time of asking.
Scott Moutray helped himself to a brace, with Richard Woods, Jack Kerr, Craig Johnston and Jamie Coalter also on the scoresheet.
Both sides had opened with narrow defeats to title favourites — Lisbellaw undone by the last kick at Enniskillen Town after fighting back from two down, Augher edged by Kesh. But there was no repeat of late drama here: Lisbellaw were two up inside half an hour and three clear by the break.
“It was a great win for us to bounce back from the previous week,” said manager Kyle McCleery. “We were so unlucky against Town to lose it in the last minute after playing so well and putting so much effort in. I was hoping the boys would bounce back and it was a good reaction.
“I thought we played really well, not only technically, which was a joy to watch at times, but in our work rate and desire to win the ball back over the 90 minutes. We never stopped working and didn’t give Augher any time on the ball, so it was pleasing on both fronts. Technically we ticked every box, and in terms of commitment and desire, we were superb. It sets us up for a tough one at Tummery and we’re glad to have three points on the board.”
Augher started brightly with early set-pieces, but Lisbellaw carved out the first big chance on five minutes — Woods heading Craig Johnston’s back-post ball down for Moutray, only for Gary Trotter to clear off the line.
The opener arrived on 10 minutes. Jamie Coalter slipped Alfie McCaffrey down the flank and his pull-back found Johnston, whose strike was parried to Woods to side-foot home.
On 29 minutes, Moutray doubled it, meeting Ryan Beatty’s whipped cross with a scissor kick into the ground that bounced up and deceived the keeper.
Then deep into first-half stoppage time, Johnston’s corner was thumped in from point-blank range by Jack Kerr for 3-0.
Augher came out firing after the restart and pulled one back on 59 minutes when Branon Clarke finished after a goalmouth scramble.
Any hope of a comeback vanished almost immediately, however. Kerr surged down the left from centre-back and his cross slipped through confusion between Trotter and goalkeeper Caolan McGee for Moutray to tap in his second.
Lisbellaw’s fifth on 69 minutes was pure quality. Jay Taylor worked it well in midfield, Moutray teed up Johnston, and he bent a first-time left-footer into the top corner. Johnston nearly repeated it moments later, but the keeper tipped over.
Coalter rounded it off on 86 minutes, bending a right-footed 25-yard free-kick into the top corner.
A convincing performance and three points banked, ahead of Tummery away this Saturday for Lisbellaw. Meanwhile, Augher will hope to get points on the board at home to Ballinamallard United Reserves.