Whites impress away to Rathfern

RATHFRILAND travelled to Rathcoole on Saturday to play Rathern Rangers and after an impressive display ran out easy 4-0 winners.

It was locals’ first clean sheet in league on Saturday with an excellent all team performance.

The first 15 minutes was a keenly contested affair, with neither side really threatening.  After a slow start Rathfriland increase the tempo of their play and started to pressurise the away defence.  

Beck was finding great joy down the left wing and was involved in everything good Rathfriland produced.  Midway through the first half Beck cut in from the left wing and found Ward who beat the full back before shooting powerfully into the corner of the net.  

Rathfriland were then forced into making a substitution when Davidson replaced Marks due to injury.  On the stroke of half time the same player increased Rathfriland’s lead when he deflected a corner from Beck into the corner of the net.

Rathfriland started the second half in similar fashion to the first, dominating for long periods and with Rathfern rarely threatening Wilton.  The hard working Coulter finally got the goal he richly deserved, finishing neatly into the corner of the net following Rathfriland’s best move of the game, involving Beck and Wilson.  Rathfriland were very much on top at this stage with Wilson and Beck threating to add to the visitors lead on several occasions. Hollingsworth and Gibbons then replaced the energetic Ward and McWilliams for the last 15 minutes. 

With minutes left Rathfern almost scored a late consolidation but were first denied by an excellent save from Wilton and then a goal line clearance by Waddell.  On the final whistle young Holly made it 4-0, when he finished off a neat move involving Beck, Gibbons and Coulter.

Rathfriland test their wits against Premier title winners Newington at Iveagh Park next week.

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