Newington United beat Annagh United 4:1 in the Championship on Saturday, moving into first place in the table. The Regular Season opener at Newington's ground ended decisively for the hosts, who had been level on points with their visitors before kick-off.
By then both sides sat on 13 points, though Newington led through a game in hand. The home side had played five matches to Annagh's six, and a fourth straight win for the visitors had put them within touching distance. That margin disappeared after 90 minutes.
Newington's recent form had been mixed, with a draw against Crusaders and a defeat to Cliftonville among their last five results. Annagh had come off a heavy 5:2 victory but also carried a 0:3 loss to Dungannon Swifts. Neither side looked comfortable in the opening stages, but Newington found their rhythm.
The result shifts the table considerably. Newington now lead by two points with a game in reserve, while Annagh's lead is gone. Cup football has its own rules, but this is the league, and points matter more than reputation.