NIFL Championship
Newington 0-3 HW Welders 
It was disappointment again today in the north of the city for Newington after Paul Hamilton’s men failed to carry on the momentum gained from their midweek win away at Institute.

A nightmare start for the Ton after Glen Ferguson headed home with barely five minutes on the clock to give the Welders the lead.

Second-half goals from McLellan and Frazer sealed the three points for the visitors after the Ton dominated large parts of the match but unfortunately couldn’t find that final pass.

The defeat leaves Newington just one point off the relegation play-off spot after relegation rivals Dergview managed to hold on for a point away to Knockbreda in one of Saturday afternoon’s other kick-offs.  
 
Newington went into Saturday’s fixture off the back of a rare victory, with Paul Hamilton’s men hoping Tuesday’s 2-0 away win at Institute would prove to be the catalyst that propelled his side further up the table.

Whatever momentum was with the Ton prior to kick-off, was soon wrestled away from them by an early Welders goal.

Glenn Ferguson rose above a statuesque Newington defence to get on the end of a James McClay corner, to score his first goal since his hat-trick at home to Dergview back in January.

Barring a few crunching tackles from midfielder Paul Donnelly and the occasional brief threat of a counter from the Welders, the remainder of the first half was largely uneventful. Half-time, the visitors led by one and the Ton with it all to do in the second half. 
 
With the action, or lack thereof, in the first half leaving a few of the Ton faithful and the travelling Welders fans yawning and checking their phones for updates on the other NIFL Championship fixtures, it was over to Jack Reilly to wake up those in attendance, including the players, and remind them there was still a game being played.

The full-back picked the ball up deep inside his own half before bursting down the wing, skipping past a couple of Welders' players along the way.

A heavy touch from the left-back followed by a fortunate block saw the ball break kindly at his feet with the Welder’s centre-back pairing standing before him. The defender cut inside onto his weaker right foot and unleashed a well-struck effort straight down the goalkeeper’s throat.

The run and subsequent effort drew a roar from the home faithful who, for the first time since Ferguson’s opener, seemed to believe there was a way back into the match.

Moments later, spurred on by the crowd whose volume had increased just a tad as a result of Reilly’s marauding run, Newington were again knocking on the door.

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Once again, down the left hand, however this time it was the quick feet and vision of Tiarnan McNicholl which almost gifted them a way back into the match. The forward did well to skip down the left-hand side of the Welder’s box before lifting his head up and picking out Downey, who had managed to find himself in acres of space on the edge of the box.

The midfielder tried to place one in the top corner with a side-footed effort but watched on as the ball drifted agonisingly wide. Newington were getting closer.

Not long after and the Ton had the ball in the back of the net, thanks to some tireless work from McNicholl. However, official Lauren Trainor was quick to raise her flag, as the striker was judged to have been a little too physical with goalkeeper Argyrides in the build-up. 

Once again, for what seems like the thousandth time since his arrival last month, Paul Donnelly shone brightest in the Newington midfield.

The young midfielder, despite his size and stature, continues to stand head and shoulders above all those around him, with his sense of danger proving to be invaluable to the north Belfast side.

Following on from a long period of sustained pressure from the home side, Welders benefited from a break of the ball in the middle of the park, which was sprayed beautifully out to the right-hand side for McLellan. The Welders man was afforded far too much time and space and picked out a beautiful pass to Kee on the edge of the box who managed to evade one Ton defender before lining one up.

The strike, which seemed for all the world as though it was goal bound, was charged down and blocked by Donnelly at the last minute. A tremendous block once again from the young midfielder, and one which he had to get right.  

The Ton were once again encouraged by the roar of the home crowd, and what followed would be their best chance of the match.

An inch-perfect pass from Downey, dropped into Darren Stuart who stood unmarked on the corner of the six-yard box looked certain to test the goalkeeper.

However, and rather surprisingly, the Ton striker opted to cut the ball back into space. Space, much to the dismay of Paul Hamilton, was occupied solely by black and yellow shirts.

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As the minutes ticked by, Newington players seemed to get more and more deflated, with each attack possessing less vigour and belief than the previous.

With 20 minutes left on the clock and perhaps spurred on by the apparent lack of belief amongst the Newington ranks, Welders grabbed a second.

Craig Harris nipped in front of Richard Gowdy in the middle of the park and drove forward, before spraying a pass out wide to Michael McLellan. The forward wasted no time in cutting in on his right foot and drilling the ball across the young goalkeeper Kerr to make it 2-0 to the visitors.

There was still time for a few half chances for Newington, who now seemed to believe the two-goal deficit too steep a mountain to climb. 

Welders were now rubbing salt in the Newington wounds and in the 90th minute, grabbed their third, and by doing so confirmed their first victory over the North Belfast side this season.

A long, hopeful ball over the top landed at the grateful feet of substitute Jonathan Frazer, who rounded the goalkeeper beautifully before slotting into an open net. 3-0 to HW Welders the final score, as time continues to run out for the Ton to get points on the board as they fight to stay in the division.  

Things don’t get easier for Paul Hamilton’s men, who travel to league leaders Loughall next Saturday, before what already seems like a potentially season-defining match the following week against bottom-of-the-table Knockbreda, in a relegation six-pointer.   
Newington 
 
NEWINGTON: N Kerr, K Bradley, R Gowdy, D Stuart, P Downey, T McNicholl, F Rice, E Hughes, J Reilly, J Diver, P Donnelly. 
 
HW WELDEDRS: M Argyrides, J McCarthy, C Byers, J Grattan, J McClay, C Harris, M Ferguson, M McLellan, D McMurray, J Kee, D Farren. 
 
Goals: M Ferguson 5, M McLellan 70, J Frazer 90