Newbuildings continue their winning streak

NEWBUILDINGS produced a lack lustre performance to record a 3-1 victory at home to Strabane. The highlight of the game was Christopher Beattie’s hat-trick which takes his total to five goals in two games.

This result sees Newbuildings move to joint second place in the league with Dungiven having played a game less and two points behind leader’s Oxford Utd with two games in hand.

Strabane started the better playing some nice football but lacking penatration against a well organised Newbuildings rearguard, but it was the home side who nearly opened the scoring in the fifth minute when a low cross from the right by Grant Buchanan was met at the back post by the onrushing Garth Falconer who failed to keep his first time effort down, blazing over from six yards out.

The visitors had claims for a penalty turned down shortly after when a through ball saw the Strabane striker and Thornton in the Newbuildings nets collide inside the penalty box but a goal kick was awarded by the referee.

The home side took the lead in the 20 minutes when Falconer played a ball through on the left for Beattie to run onto and he managed to slip it past the advancing keeper into the back of the net from the angle of the box. Strabane almost got back on level terms when the visiting striker found himself with space inside the box but his goalbound effort was superbly blocked by Graham Moore.

The game continued with both teams struggling to get their passing game going but it was Newbuildings who went further ahead in the 30th minute when Brian Scanlon swung in a cross from the right which saw Beattie climb and power his header past the visiting keeper from eight yards out.

The second half saw Newbuildings trying to kill the game off with a third goal and it duely arrived in the 60th minute when a good run from midfielder Brian Scanlon saw him break through on the left and send a ball across the area for the onrushing Beattie and he slammed the ball home from 10 yards out to complete his hat-trick.

The visitors grabbed a consolation goal with five minutes to go when a long ball was misjudged in the Newbuildings defence allowing the Strabane forward through and he lobbed the advancing Thornton from 18 yards out.

Newbuildings are home to Dungiven in the league this Saturday (KO 2pm), while the Reserves travel to Draperstown Reserves also in the league.

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