NATIONAL CONFERENCE LEAGUE UNDERWAY

Coagh United were the first-ever winners of a game in the newly formed National Conference League when they won 3-2 at Dollingstown in a highly entertaining, well-attended game on Friday night.

The hosts had taken the lead through Michael McCavitt on 11 minutes, but Coagh then levelled through Zach Feron on 39 minutes to ensure the teams went into the break all square. A 55th-minute strike from Aaron Duke saw Dollingstown edge ahead once more, but this second lead only lasted all of two minutes when Matthew McMenemy once again levelled the scores. With both sides battling hard for a winner, it eventually came on 70 minutes when Cameron Moody scored to give the visitors the lead for the first time in the game, a lead they would go on to hold until the final whistle.

Moving on to Saturday, it was Lisburn Distillery making all of the headlines as they thumped Oxford Sunnyside 5-1 at New Grosvenor. An early strike by Jordan Morrison gave the "Whites” an early breakthrough. Although Sunnyside levelled on 13 minutes through Adam Salley, Distillery went on to lay down a marker to the rest of the division with four more goals coming courtesy of a brace from Nathan Clarke and individual efforts from Callum Dougan and Josh Cahoon.

Ballymacash Rangers' hopes of a successful season in the National Conference league took an early hit as they lost 0-3 at Portstewart thanks to goals from Joshua Busteed, Orrin McLaughlin & Dean Brown, whilst another side, Dergview, also recorded a 3-0 success this time at Banbridge Town. Scorers on the day for the Co.Tyrone side were Dylan Russell, Shea Devlin & Lee Warnock.

Finally, the Division's remaining opening-day draws saw two draws as Knockbreda and Rosario battled out a highly entertaining 3-3 stalemate, with St. James' Swifts & Ballyclare Comrades ending 1-1.