'It's an amazing result' says Newry City boss Stuart King after dramatic late win over Lisburn Distillery

Manager Stuart King was delighted after his Newry City team snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a dramatic 4-3 win over Lisburn Distillery on Friday night.

City trailed 3-2 in the fourth minute of added time, but netted twice before the full-time whistle to seal all three points and send the jubilant Showgrounds crowd home happy.

“Amazing,” King said, reflecting on the game, when speaking to the club’s social media channel.

“We've done that loads of times now. There's just something about being at home on a Friday night. There's just energy, driving forward, desire to win the game.

“We gave away awful goals tonight, awful goals. Something that we haven't done. We didn't defend our box at all. But I genuinely thought our overall play was really good. I thought some of our combination play, some of our movement, I fully thought we deserved to win the game. But if we defend like that, then you're going to be in trouble.

“I thought at 2-2, there was only going to be one team that was going to drive on and win the game, but we gave away an awful goal from a corner kick. That needs addressed, 100 per cent.

“All credit to Lisburn Distillery, I'm sorry I should say that at the start. Everybody put in a shift for big Adam [McCart]. I know he's only a temporary manager, but they really gave everything for him tonight. And I thought they were outstanding.

“In the end, it's an amazing result. It drives the club forward again. We've had a really good start. We've had one or two bad results, 100 per cent. But overall, from when I took over to now, I'm delighted.”

An unforgettable night at The Showgrounds

Newry got off to a poor start to the game and found themselves 2-0 down after 22 minutes following goals from Aaron Boyd and Aaron Cochrane, but pulled a goal back before half-time through Lee Newell.

Keith Dalton squared the game up early in the second half, but Distillery went back in front when a Boyd corner missed everybody and wound up in the Newry net. However, Boyd was then dismissed with a straight red card minutes later.

Then came the drama. Newry pulled themselves level when Shane Forbes found the net four minutes into stoppage time, and had enough time on the clock to win the game with a goal in the ninety-ninth minute. Just as had happened at the other end, a Newry corner drifted into the back of the Lisburn net and the Showgrounds erupted in celebration.

The NIFL website credited Georgie Poynton with the goal and the NI Football app credited Cormac McNally, but in the end Newry won’t care who got the goal, just that it won them the game in the most remarkable of circumstances.

MATCH STATS

Newry City: Jason Craughwell, Jordan King, Matthew Rendina, Jack Chambers (Cormac McNally 74), Lee Newell, Shane Forbes, Evan McEnteggart, Stephen Moan (Kane Rossiter 84), Keith Dalton, Scott McCullough (Declan Carville 84), Georgie Poynton.

Unused subs: Reece McKeown, Ryan Fearon, Charlie McGrath, Jack Kelly.

Lisburn Distillery: Marcus Thompson, Dean Lewis, Leon Lavery, Fra Brennan, Aaron Cochrane, Benny Igiehon, Guillaume Keke (Ben Napier 79), Aaron Boyd, Aaron Sharkey, Kyle Anderson (Ryan Sharkey 72), Gerard Storey (Jay Torrens 56).

Unused subs: Watson Kingham, David Alfred, Abiola Sanusi.

Referee: Ryan Hanna.