Comrades secured a morale boosting win on a hot sunny day at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

Before kick-off everyone in the ground paid respect with a minute’s silence to respected referee Keith Kennedy who died suddenly earlier in the week.

Once the game got underway the hosts had most of the play in the early stages. Comrades took a while to get going and rarely got out of their own half in the first 10 minutes. Institute whilst having a lot of the ball did not provide much threat on the visitors’ goal. However, on 12 minutes, after a scramble from a corner, Liam Hassin did well to head clear off the line from a goal bound effort. It took a while before Comrades started to get into the game, but by the midway point of the half play was evenly balanced, with defences largely on top.

The breakthrough for Stephen Small’s men came in the 36^th minute. With Comrades growing in confidence, Conor Quinn got to the ball and played a perfectly weighted pass through the home defence to Michael Morgan who then finished with an impressive shot into the top corner of the net from the edge of the box.

The visitors came close to adding to their lead on 44 minutes. Caolán Donnelly went on a superb run past two defenders before hitting a shot from just inside the area which took a deflection off a defender and onto the angle of bar and post.

There were two enforced changes at half-time for Comrades, as the impressive pair of Jack Johnston and Caolán Donnelly had to be replaced due to injury.

The hosts started on the front foot after the restart, although they failed to create chances against the visitors’ defence in which captain Liam Hassin, normally a midfielder, was outstanding. In the 52^nd minute Comrades doubled their lead with a truly memorable goal. Brian Healy received the ball on the right side of the pitch, just inside the Institute half. With great vision he spotted the home ‘keeper off his line and sent an audacious effort over the stranded Doherty and into the net to the delight of the travelling supporters.

Play was then held up for a significant period with a nasty looking injury to Comrades defender Lewis Tennant. He had to be stretchered off with a suspect broken leg, which fortunately was later diagnosed in hospital to be muscle damage.

Another reshuffle was required and this time the visitors took some time to adjust. This allowed Institute to build attacking momentum. They grabbed a goal back on 68 minutes when Porter supplied a neat first-time finish from six yards to a dangerous ball played in from the right. The hosts now had the wind in their sails, and they looked capable of getting an equaliser. In the 70^th minute Harris cut inside the box and fired a shot which Adam Ritchie had to turn away. Then, two minutes later, Tweed cut in from the left before striking an effort from just outside the area which Adam Ritchie was well-positioned to save.

The home side then had another chance on 75 minutes when Harris swivelled to get in a shot from the centre of the area, but he slashed his effort well wide of the target.

Comrades weathered the storm and began to get more control of the game, looking dangerous on the break. In the 84^th minute they gave themselves some leeway with a third goal. Conor Quinn was again the provider with a great ball across the pitch to set Brian Healy free to run at the stretched home defence, after the referee had played a great advantage. Healy cut inside the box and past the hosts’ right-back before confidently shooting across the ‘keeper and into the bottom corner of the net from 10 yards.

Institute exerted pressure in the remaining minutes, which included 10 minutes of stoppage time, but Comrades defended well. Getting heads to balls played in from corners and crosses which has been something of a weakness previously in the initial stages of this season.

The visitors had a good opportunity to add a fourth goal eight minutes into added time when a counterattack saw them with a three versus one situation. However, they did not take advantage, and the attack ended with a Brian Healy shot being comfortably saved by the ‘keeper.

After the extended period of stoppage time the final whistle saw Comrades take a deserved three points on the road to send their supporters home happy.