Relegation looming for Magheraveely after Dergview defeat

Magheraveely 1 Dergview Reserves 3

Magheraveely suffered another defeat with relegation from the Mercer League looming after a 3-1 loss to Dergview Reserves at the weekend.

They will need to pick up wins from their last three games as they sit four points off safety at the minute but face a tough task in the form of Kesh this weekend.

Relegation rivals Irvinestown Wanderers face Dergview Reserves this weekend, and a win could all but ensure safety with Enniskillen Athletic and Castlederg United joining Magheraveely in the bottom three.

Dergview took a 2-0 lead into halftime on Saturday with an own goal making it 3-0 until Warren Stewart pulled a goal back for the home side.

Magheraveely coach Rodney McVitty said after the game: “I don’t know how we lost 3-1 because we played very well and we somehow managed to lose but it’s simply down to us not taking our chances.

"We had enough chances to win three matches and we just didn’t put the ball in the net, and they punished us.”

Saturday’s hosts squandered a number of early opportunities as Joseph Williamson couldn’t convert from close range and Paul Elliot glanced a header just wide of the net from a corner.

Danilo Ramos also went close to adding the opener but was denied twice by Dergview goalkeeper Tiernan McNamee.

The visitors then struck at the other end with Dale Maxwell bundling the ball over the line from a corner despite the shouts for a handball from Magheraveely.

A second followed six minutes before the interval as Sam Sproule ran in behind with the home side expecting an offside call but the forward rounded the goalkeeper and finished for 2-0.

There were half chances for both sides at the beginning of the second half but nothing to greatly threaten either goalkeeper between the sticks.

Paul Elliot headed into his own net for 3-0, just after the hour mark, from a Corey McLaughlin cross, with Dergview forward Dylan Aiken then missing a penalty for a chance to go 4-0 up as Magheraveely goalkeeper Corey Smith got down low to make a great save.

Warren Stewart pulled a goal back with just under 15 minutes to play after being played in behind and finishing low to the net.

The home side continued to push for another and hit the crossbar through a Williamson free kick and Stewart also had a rasping shot into the side netting.

Dergview held on for the win with Magheraveely in need of a result against Kesh on Saturday in Clones.