Kilkeel extended their lead at the top of the Men’s Premier League to five points as they beat second placed South Antrim 1-0 on Saturday.
The win also meant the County Down outfit continued their faultless start to the season with a third of the campaign having been played.
Luke Russell got the decisive goal in what was a tight encounter at Kilkeel High School and inflicted a first defeat in five games for their opposition.
The strike was Russell’s eighth of the campaign and now puts him as the division’s top goal scorer, one goal ahead of teammate David Rae.
Kilkeel now extend their lead at the top to five points ahead of yesterday’s opponents and six ahead of third-placed Cookstown, who have a game in hand. Meanwhile, Kilkeel will travel to mid-ulster in a massive game next week.
Elsewhere Portadown thrashed bottom of the table Raphoe 5-0 at Edenvilla to move into the top half.
The result meant the visitors had lost by a five-goal score line for the second week in a row, whilst Portadown bounced back from a heavy defeat of their own last week.
Josh Rowe gave the hosts the lead before Adam Stevenson doubled their advantage with his fourth goal of the season.
Three more strikes from Jamie Wright, Theo Milligan and Mark Campbell rounded off the scoring and compounded Raphoe to a fourth defeat this campaign.
The County Donegal side remain in tenth place, but following results elsewhere, the gap to safety has now extended to two points.
There was a dramatic final quarter in the days other game as reigning Champions Queen’s University drew 2-2 with North Down at the Dub.
With the game goalless after the first three periods, the travelling side took the lead through Gareth Bailie.
However, the lead wouldn’t last long as Harry Scott drew the students’ level before grabbing his second of the game just moments later.
With the game entering the dying stages the title holders looked to have won the game and earned just their second win of the season.
However, with just four minutes left of the fixture, Gareth McKeown drew North Down level once more and snatched a point for his side.
A draw was not a good result for either side as North Down remain seventh in the table and Queen’s University climb to eighth on goal difference as their disappointing title defence continues.
