The Comrades produced an excellent display in their opening game of the Lough 41 Championship season to comfortably defeat Ballinamallard at rain-soaked Dixon Park.

The opening part of the match was evenly balanced, but it was the visitors who grabbed the lead in the 16^th minute. Darragh Byrne took advantage of a slip at the back from Comrades to cut inside the box and send a perfectly angled shot from 16 yards into the bottom far corner of the net past the despairing dive of the ‘keeper.

The Mallards’ lead didn’t last long and a minute later the scores were level. Adam Gray got on the end of a ball played into the box and advanced to strike a low finish past the ‘keeper from 9 yards.

As the rain got heavier the action continued and it wasn’t long before the hosts hit the front when in the 20^th minute Joe Tully got on the end of a Liam McKenna cross to head home from 5 yards.

Comrades now had their tails up and looked very capable of extending their advantage. They had two good chances to do so in close succession. On 32 minutes, after Liam McKenna had intercepted on halfway and played the ball forward, Ciaran Heggarty got onto the end of it and drove into the box before dragging his shot wide of the far post from 16 yards. Then a minute later Elliot McKim headed wide of the target from 5 yards from a great Liam Hassin cross.

The visitors had a chance to equalise in the 37^th minute when the ball was played through to Banda who shot from 16 yards, but Richard Purcell was well placed to save.

The second half saw Comrades blow their opponents away with a scintillating display which started with a third goal within two minutes. Once more the route was from a Liam McKenna corner. This time it Ciarán Dobbin who got on the end of McKenna’s delivery, getting free at the near post to head in from close range.

The home side were delighting their supporters, playing lovely football. From a devastating move in the 52^nd minute they almost added to their lead when Ciaran Heggarty arrived to meet a great ball played in by Liam Hassin, but his effort from 5 yards went just wide.

Two minutes later the ball was in the back of the Mallards’ net again for a fourth Comrades goal. The men in red were excellent in pressing their opponents all through the match and this often won them possession in dangerous areas. This time the ball was turned over and found Ciarán Dobbin who struck a superb daisy-cutter from 25 yards which flew past the helpless ‘keeper.

The hosts didn’t let up and continued to look for more goals. On the hour, another fine move ended with a rasping shot hit from 22 yards by Adam Gray which forced ‘keeper Connolly to turn the ball wide. Then two minutes later Liam Hassin did very well to get to the by-line in the box and play a great ball across the goal, which somehow eluded a finishing touch.

Comrades put the result out of any doubt with a fifth goal on 70 minutes. Effective pressing again won the ball inside the visitors’ half, with Joe Tully gaining possession on the right. He then played the ball across field to Adam Gray on the left who took on an opponent, leaving him for dead, before playing the ball into the box for recently introduced substitute Andrew Mooney to fire in from 7 yards.

Mallards were able to create little against a dominant home side, but they did have a chance for a consolation goal in the 77^th minute when a cross to the far post found John Edgar, but he scuffed his effort wide from 4 yards.

Other than this, Comrades were totally in control and the players deserved the acclaim given to them by their supporters at the final whistle.