Comrades came away from the short trip to Inver Park with nothing after being comprehensively outplayed by Newington.

Right from the kick -off the hosts looked much sharper than their out of sorts opponents. Inside two minutes they came close when a corner was only cleared out to Storey who shot from the edge of the box, clipping the post. In the sixth minute Gerard Walker had to turn the ball behind to keep out a shot struck by Reid from just outside the area. Newington deservedly took the lead on 12 minutes when Storey stepped up to blast straight in past the wall from 22 yards out. Three minutes later the home side doubled their lead. A shot fired in from outside the box took a deflection which made it difficult for Gerard Walker to gather. The ball consequently spilled out of his grasp and Curran was there to finish from close range.

Comrades first threat of the game came in the 18th minute. Michael Mervyn got forward on the right and played the ball into the box to Brian Healy in a dangerous position. He attempted a first-time effort, but it was tame allowing ‘keeper Brown to save comfortably. The visitors came more into the game around the middle of the half but couldn’t find a good final ball. Newington maintained a significant threat and on 35 minutes a defensive mix-up near the halfway line allowed Stuart to run free into the box where he shot across the ‘keeper but saw his effort hit the far post.

Comrades had been very poor in the first half and things didn’t improve significantly after the break. They did threaten on 55 minutes when Brian Healy sent a looping header onto the top of the bar, although the ‘keeper appeared to have it covered. On the hour Comrades faced another Storey free kick, this time he sent a fierce shot in from 35 yards which Gerard Walker had to turn past the post. The hosts remained the much the more dangerous side. In the 64th minute the dangerous Tugman got past the Comrades defence up the right and played a great low ball into the box towards Stuart, but the striker fluffed his chance in front of goal from 8 yards, scuffing it wide of the post.

The visitors showed very little sign of making a comeback. However, they did create a chance in the 81st minute when the ball was played to Lee McGreevy in space just inside the box, but his shot was sliced well wide of the target. A minute later Newington threatened a third goal when they cut through the Comrades defence providing an opportunity for Gowdy inside the area, but his goal-bound effort was blocked in front of the line by Owen McConville. Five minutes into added time Newington came close to adding to their lead when Storey struck the bar with a shot from 16 yards.

Comrades were lucky to end the game only two goals behind, as no-one could have argued with a much heavier defeat after a very under power performance.