Warrenpoint Town pick up fantastic home win on Championship opening day

​Life back in the Championship couldn’t have gotten off to a brighter start for Warrenpoint Town, who recorded a 3-1 victory over Dundela in Milltown on Saturday.

Dundela had the first chance of the game late in the first half but headed wide, and the home side made their first opportunity count in first half stoppage time when Christopher Crane got on the end of a long ball forward from Jamie Doran to rise highest and nod into the top corner.

Crane continued to impress in the air in the second half. doubling his tally seven minutes in heading home for a second time.

Just before the hour mark, the result was in the bag when Reece Doyle hit a rocket into the top corner from 25 yards set up with a super run by Conall Murray.

The did visitors did pull one back three minutes later through David McMaster but it wasn't enough to spark a comeback and the score remained 3-1 – another fantastic win in Milltown.

“I said to the players inside there, it was a great result on the first day,” said Warrenpoint manager Gary Boyle after the game.

“Winning at home gives us a platform to really go after the next game. It gives belief and confidence in the group because we're sort of hitting the unknown. Players have been playing at this level for sure, and playing at higher levels, but at the same time we're still building a new group, so it's really, really pleasing and I know that the players will take great confidence and great belief from the result.”

It was also a great win given that it was against Dundela, who usually finish in the top half of the table.

“Dundela beat a Premiership outfit in their last preseason game, so they came into this game with serious form and pedigree. They've been in the top four, top six for maybe the last decade in the Championship, so it was a really, really big test for us today. And we answered a lot of questions, if there were any, about us today. “

There is no relegation this year in the Championship but Boyle says it's something that has had no bearing on the team or their approach to the season.

“It certainly hasn't been spoken about within the group, but from the outside looking in, I'm sure the team that got promoted will be the favourites to get relegated, so to speak. It gives us a chance to potentially build for a season in the Championship and then hopefully kick on next year when we find our feet. It takes a bit of pressure off, but certainly we'll not be letting that delve into the dressing room. Every game we'll go, we'll give one hundred and ten percent and try to get the result.”

Next up for Warrenpoint is an away fixture against Limavady United on Saturday, who lost their opening league match to Annagh United.

MATCH STATS

Warrenpoint: Daniel Devine, Conall Murray, Chridtopher Crane, Jim O'Hanlon, Rory Powell (Diarmuid O'Hanlon 67), Adam Carroll, Reece Doyle (Lorcan Forde, 67), Jamie Doran, Matthew Robinson, Jamie O'Flaherty (Declan Loye 85), Michael Leddy

Subs not used: Matthew Lynch, Shane Haughey, Stephen Reid, Stuart Hutchinson

Dundela: Aaron Hogg, Michael Kerr, Ian Fletcher, Jordan Morrison (Jay Harvey, 85), Calum Birney, Charlie Dornan, David McMaster (Luke Chapman 85), Andrew Hall (Joseph Tully 53), Oisin Barr (Cameron Moody 53), Ewan Kelly, Lewis Tennant

Subs not used: Alexander Conway, Finlay McMaster, Mark Patton

Referee: Tom Symington