In a week that saw the untimely deaths of Osama Bin Laden, Henry Cooper and Ted Lowe, Enniskillen Town United kept their Mercer League ambitions very much alive after a routine victory against a desperately disappointing Fintona Swifts outfit. In fact, to use a well worn adage quoted by Enniskilleners the length and breadth of the globe, "Not one of them would get on the Town first team."

Speaking of the Town first team, it showed one change from the side that dispatched Ballinamallard United Reserves so impressively in their previous outing. Mark Beckett replacing suspended skipper Brendan Rodgers. Town started the game attacking The Complex End and within two minutes had hit the front. Mark Connolly's clever pass found midfield partner Matthew McAuley on the edge of the Fintona area and he smashed his first time volley past Ryan Monteith to give Town an early lead. 

Town proceeded to toy with their lower league opponents without showing any killer instinct. Frank Wallace did go close before Mickey Fisher fired over the visitor's first chance of any real note after twenty-seven minutes. Town keeper Joe McGovern was again called into action on thirty-two minutes making a fine double save from Ally Monteith's low drive and Chris Hamilton's follow up. However, this was as good as it got for Fintona as an uneventful first half drew to a close.

Town doubled their advantage within a minute of the restart and what a controversial moment it was. Wallace's deflected goal bound effort fell to a clearly off-side Mark Beckett and he made no mistake in scoring from close range. The quite obviously incensed visitors surrounded referee Wesley Campbell but despite their best protestations the goal stood and with that the Fintona challenge collapsed. Ryan Hanna was forced to clear Hamilton's goal bound effort off the line shortly afterwards but from thereon in it was one-way traffic as Town dominated to the final whistle. 

Wallace flashed a header wide from a Gary Beckett free before Beckett himself added a third after the hour. He showed great close control in trapping Wallace's long throw before cleverly stabbing the ball past a helpless Monteith. Wallace again went close with a delicate chip before Town almost fashioned a contender for goal of the season after seventy-two minutes play. Some absolutely delightful build up play and intricate passing movement between the two Becketts and Wallace eventually reached David Callaghan on the edge of the eighteen yard box. However, the portly substitute blazed his effort over the bar and in the process missed the opportunity to write his own little piece of Town history. 

It was to prove a brief stay of execution for the now hapless visitors. Wallace's surging touchline run brought him the length of the visitor's half before squaring to Gary Beckett who made no misatake in rifling his shot into the bottom right hand corner from the edge of the area. Another magic moment from the young apprentice and the master craftsman.
The now rampant Wallace did have one more late effort but his volley was well saved by Monteith as Town cruised to the easiest of victories.
Roll on Shelbourne!

The Town: J McGovern, Rodney Charlton Trotter, A Fitzpatrick, M Crawford, C Leonard, R Hanna, M Beckett, M McAuley, G Beckett, M Connolly, F Wallace.
Subs - D Callaghan for M McAuley(65), C Corrigan for M Connolly (76).

Referee: Wesley Campbell - Came in for his fair share of stick from both sets of supporters but I honestly thought he did quite well. While Fintona were clearly livid over his awarding of Town's second goal, he will argue that it came down to his interpretation of an ever changing off-side rule. He also made good use of his yellow cards to take the sting out of a game that threatened to boil over during a brief spell in the second-half.

Attendance: 88 - Absolutely fantastic considering that we went head to head with live televised coverage of Il Classico. Michel Platini and co. at UEFA really need to rethink their policy of scheduling such big games in direct competition to each other.  

Top Townie: Frank Wallace. Gave a scintillating display of old-fashioned wing wizardry. 

Champagne Moment: Matthew McAuleys superb first minute volleyed goal. It brought back memories of spectular finishes by another "Matthew" from a bygone era. A fitting tribute to the man.

Comedy Moment: Fintona left-back Mickey Fisher's ridiculous sixty-third minute attempt at show-boating. Give it up as a bad job son. You've your whole life in front of you for Christ's sake!

Words from a Song: Alive and Kicking.

Manager Watch: Needs a hair-cut. Badly.