Poor finishing costs Institute again as they fall to Welders defeat

Institute 0

H&W Welders 1

Institute did everything but put the ball in the net as they fell to a defeat which sends them into the bottom two of the Lough 41 Championship

Not for the first time this season, 'Stute boss Brian Donaghey was left scratching his head, wondering how his team lost the game, with chance after chance missed in an incredible second half. 

Making matters worse, 'Stute gifted Welders the winning goal, with Dylan King's error setting up substitute Michael McClennand to finish early in the second half. 

Both goalkeepers were in fine form throughout an end to end game.

‘Stute needed their goalkeeper to come to their rescue just seven minutes into Saturday’s game.  Daylen Farren’s ball into Johnny Frazer was brilliantly collected by the striker, whose touch took him clear on goal only for Dylan Doherty to come out and bravely block the shot.

The response to this was a good one from the home side as they caused Welders some real concern in the next 10 minutes. A good counter-attack saw captain Cormac Burke lead his team forward in numbers, but with two men to his right, he opted for the shot and sent the ball straight into the hands of Michael Argyrides.

It was then the turn of the Welders goalkeeper to help his team out when ‘Stute got in behind for the first time, with Jamie Dunne crossing for an unmarked Jack McFeely, whose volley was turned over well for the game’s first corner.

From that corner, another chance fell ‘Stute’s way when the ball sat up for Andrew Whiteside, but he sent his effort just wide of the target.

In a very open game, ‘Stute should then have fallen behind when they were opened up too easily by Frazer’s through ball, which put Ferguson through on goal, but the striker dragged his effort badly wide with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Half Time 0-0

The second half started disastrously for ‘Stute who gifted Welders a goal after just three minutes. Substitute Mohamed Ayari’s low ball into the area looked simple for Dylan King, but he sliced the ball straight into the path of Michael McClelland who gratefully smashed the ball past Doherty and into the net.

‘Stute’s response was almost immediate as Cormac Burke tried his luck from 25 yards and the ball was floating over Argyrides and into the net until the goalkeeper just managed to get a fingertip on it to push it onto the crossbar.

Struggling to find their way again after the concession of that goal, ‘Stute were fortunate not to go two goals behind on 58 minutes when McClelland’s mishit shot turned into the perfect pass for Ayari, but the substitute smashed an effort against the frame of Dylan Doherty’s goal when it seemed easier to score.  

Brian Donaghey made three changes as the game entered its final third, with Calvin McCallion joining Sean McCarron up top, while Jamie McCormick and Orrin McLaughlin freshened up the midfield.

But before any of them had touched the ball, ‘Stute almost fell two goals behind when the impressive Ayari tried a spectacular overhead kick from 20 yards which had Doherty scrambling across his goal and grateful that the ball just cleared the post.

Both goalkeepers then came to their team’s rescue in the space of an incredible 60 seconds. ‘Stute came so close to equalising on 75 minutes when Jamie Dunne’s free kick was met by the head of McCormick, with the ball bouncing towards the top corner until Argyrides somehow sprung across goal to get a hand on the ball to stop it on the line.

‘Stute were still wondering just how that had stayed out when they conceded a free kick on the halfway line, and Welders caught the sleeping, with Ferguson sending Ayari through on goal again. A goal would have sealed all three points for the Welders, but, not for the first time, Doherty saved brilliantly.

But for all Doherty’s heroics, ‘Stute couldn’t put the ball in the net at the other end, despite having two huge chances to do so. Firstly, Calvin McCallion had a run on goal, and took his shot early, only for Argyrides to stop him with a strong left hand. Moments later, the ball fell for McCormick in the penalty area, but he failed to beat the Welders goalkeeper who again did well.

But there was no explaining just how ‘Stute didn’t level with just a minute to go; Sean McCarron sent McCormick chasing after the ball on the right and the midfielder did well to whip in a cross right onto the head of McCallion just three yards from goal, but the striker somehow missed, sending to the ball onto the base of the post when the ball should have been resting in the net.

Institute host Ballinamallard this Tuesday night at the Brandywell with their need for points increasing with each passing game.  

Teams

INSTITUTE: Dylan Doherty, Rhys McDermott, Shaun Leppard (Alonso Clarke 89’), Dylan King, Ronan McAleer; Shaun Doherty (Orrin McLaughlin 69’), Cormac Burke (Jamie McCormick 69’), Andrew Whiteside (Calvin McCallion 69’), Jack McFeely, Sean McCarron, Jamie Dunne.

H&W WELDERS: Michael Argyrides, Chandler Douglas, James McCarthy, Lewis Patterson, Kyle Owens, Jonathan Frazer (Ayari 45’) (Barr 86’), Craig Harris, Matthew Ferguson (McClelland 45’), James McClay (Kinner 45’), Joshua Kee, Daylen Farren.

REFEREE: Mark Dillon.