Hayes delivers a defensive master class as AFC stretch impressive run

Town enjoyed the better of a goalles first half, Steven McCavitt closest to opening the scoring, and after the break, it didn’t take them long to break the deadlock.

A poor clearance from the visiting keeper found Ross Fitzpatrick in space 20 yards out and he calmly converted the chance into the far corner. Town now sensed the game was there for the taking and doubled their lead.

This time a clever free-kick from McCavitt found Daire McCluskey’s intelligent run to the front post, and the striker flicked the ball home.

With only 15 minutes left, Town made the points safe when Brian Johnston found space just inside the box and picked out an excellent pass to fellow substitute Nathan Weir who converted at the second time of asking.

Johnston himself put the icing on the cake for Town AFC with a brilliantly taken looping header into the top corner from the edge of the area, after a Jordan Hayes free-kick.

The win means the young AFC side have already surpassed last season’s points tally with 11 games still to play.

Man of the Match went to centre-back Jordan Hayes who was the personification of a brick wall all afternoon, quashing many of Newry’s threatening moves by putting his body on the line to get to any final ball.

TOWN: Andrews, Houston, Martin, Hayes, Devlin, Toner, Canning, Fitzpatrick, McCavitt, McCluskey, Gray Subs: Johnston, Downey, Weir, Mallon.