Queen's University saw off Strabane Athletic 6:0 in the regular season on Saturday evening. The home side took all three points in front of their own supporters, extending their unbeaten run at home. The result keeps them in the mix for the upper half of the table.
Fourteen points now separates the two sides after this round of fixtures. Queen's University sit fourth with ten points from five games, while Strabane Athletic remain fourteenth with just three. The gap will make life awkward for the visitors if they cannot turn things around soon.
The hosts have been steady since the season began. Three wins and a draw in their opening five matches shows consistency, though they cannot afford another slip if they want to push for the top spots. They beat Ards 3:0 last time out and have only lost once in this campaign.
Strabane Athletic have had a different experience altogether. One victory from five games leaves them well adrift, and the heavy defeat adds to a difficult start. They have lost four of their five matches, including defeats to Newington United and Handin Valley Wanderers in recent weeks.
By then, this result will have done little to ease pressure on the away management. Queen's University move closer to the business end of the season with momentum on their side, while Strabane Athletic need points urgently to avoid the lower reaches.