Point move to the top of the table

​Warrenpoint Town were in seventh heaven on Saturday at Milltown after securing another three points that puts them at the top of the Premier Intermediate League table.

A resounding 4-1 victory over Dergview made it seven league games unbeaten for Gary Boyle's men and nine in all competitions as this team just continues to go from strength to strength, knocking off their opponents one by one.

The Point were two goals to the good after eight minutes with a John Boyle goal and a converted penalty by Jim O'Hanlon.

That set the hosts up on the front foot for the afternoon, their task made all the easier when Dergview were reduced to 10 men with a sending off for a strike on Chris Crane in the first half.

The visitors did pull a goal back early in the second half but Warrenpoint responded immediately courtesy of Declan Loye.

That restored the two-goal lead but the home side made sure there would be no more drama when Chris Crane planted the fourth goal in the net on 83 minutes and that was more than enough for the win.

Warrenpoint couldn't have gotten off to a better start when, just one minute from kick-off, captain Boyle was unmarked in the box and with a terrific first touch fired into the net.

Six minutes later Rory Powell was fouled in the area and Jim O'Hanlon made no mistake from the penalty spot making it 2-0, with the visitors reeling.

Dergview staged a couple of attacks in the twelfth minute, the first nodded clear by Boyle and the second hoofed from the danger zone by Matthew Lynch. Sam Spoule came close with a hooked shot from the edge of the box five minutes later but his off-target shot was covered by Point keeper Daniel Devine in any case. With that, the home side began to dominate again with some good work in midfield by Loye who set up Diarmuid O'Hanlon with a long cross, but the Dergview keeper gathered his effort and it remained 2-0 with 30 minutes on the clock.

There was drama to come however, with a Dergview penalty shout waved away and seconds later Chris Crane was taken out and Sproule was dismissed with a straight red card. While the dust settled on the decision Dergview's assistant coach was also issued his marching orders for dissent.

The visitors had an uphill battle reduced to 10 men and two goals down but they did manage to conjure up a goal after the break. But before that, Diarmuid O'Hanlon was denied a shot at goal from a cross with a good interception by Phillip Wallace for a corner that came to nothing, and a super burst down the left flank by Rory Powell, saw him outpace and beat his marker but he couldn't quite connect for a finish with the Dergview netminder getting to the ball first.

A small bit of nerves showed for the Point after the restart when a back-pass by Boyle to Devine momentarily slipped past the keeper who quickly recovered and scrambled back to gather, and while the home side soon settled with good attacking play from Conall Murray and Jim O'Hanlon, Dergview pulled a goal back on the counter through sub Bobby Sweeney on 52 minutes.

Their celebrations were short-lived however, as seconds later Loye had the ball in the net when he got on the end of a lob and, lofted over the keeper, restoring the two-goal lead at 3-1.

Powell came close to getting his name on the score-sheet when he picked up a pass but his shot was inches shy of the target and Diarmuid O'Hanlon came close minutes later but his shot was stopped by the Dergview keeper.

Still, it was the home side who dominated with Dergview's only other real chance of the half by Sweeney in front of the Warrenpoint goal, shepherded clear by Shane Haughey.

Some good work from Shaun McDermott who got his cross away to McDonagh came to naught for the visitors with Boyle swooping in for the clearance.

Dergview had another half-chance on 72 minutes when another of their subs Marc Walsh bustled through the middle doing well to keep possession in traffic, but the Point had plenty of defenders back to deal with the final pass and they did so comfortably.

The result was put to bed on 83 minutes when Crane found the net with a header from a corner to make it 4-1 and it was just a case of winding down the clock for the last 10 minutes.

Warrenpoint Supporters club named Loye their Man-of-the-Match. The next senior league fixture is away to Lisburn Distillery on Saturday January 25. This Saturday they host Crusaders Reserves at Milltown in Round 3 of the McCombs Coach Travel Intermediate Cup.

MATCH STATS

Warrenpoint: Daniel Devine, Conall Murray, Chris Crane, John Boyle, Matthew Lynch, Jim O'Hanlon (Caolan Flanagan 81), Rory Powell (Stephen Reid 81), Diarmuid O'Hanlon, Shane Haughey, Declan Loye (Stuart Hutchinson 60), Ben Walker ( Reece Doyle 70)

Subs not used: Andy Coleman, Eoghan Byrne, Sean O'Hare

Dergview: Dylan Doherty, Garth Falconer, Jonathan McKeown, Blaine Burns (Sean McDonagh, 46), Matthew Kirk (Ashley Lowry, 46), Ronan McKinley (Ethan Nethery 46), Paul Smith, (Bobby Sweeney 46) Sam Sproule, Dale Maxwell (Marc Walsh 9), Shaun McDermott, Phillip Wallace

Subs not used: Eoin Haire

Referee: Tom Symington

​