Scarva Rangers 3 Tullyvallen 4

A QUIRK of the fixture list meant these two teams were meeting for the first time as the season creeps to a close.

By the time they kicked off on Tuesday night at Scarva Park both were safe from the threat of relegation and there was nothing critical at stake for either side.

It was a high scoring and entertaining encounter but not a night for the two defences to remember with any fondness.

The visitors took an early lead but Scarva levelled matters when Alex Hammond picked out Gareth Fulton with an astute pass and Fulton whipped a low cross into the penalty area for Mark Bicker to fire past the Tullyvallen keeper.

Darren Clarke made a fantastic saving tackle to thwart a dangerous Tullyvallen attack and Gordon Magill made a crucial save to enable Scarva to go in on level terms at half-time.

Scarva were second best as the game resumed after the break and Magill was forced to produce a series of excellent saves.

It was only delaying the inevitable, however, as Tullyvallen scored twice to take a commanding grip on the game.

Alex Hammond stabbed the ball home from close range to give the hosts some hope of rescuing a point but before long the visitors had restored their two goal lead.

Mark Bicker was pushed in the back inside the penalty area and the resulting spot kick was expertly slotted home by Gareth Dillon.

It gave the home side a renewed self belief and they finished the game strongly but without finding a finish to ensure the spoils were shared.