Darren Mullen gives ultimatum to his Mourne men

A lacklustre display against in-form local rivals Warrenpoint Town saw Mullen’s side beaten 2-0 at home on Saturday and but for keeper Andy Coleman, it could have been a much heavier defeat.

The loss leaves City languishing 11 from safety and just two points above bottom side Ards with a game in hand after first half strikes from Lee Duffy and Alan O’Sullivan saw Stephen McDonnell’s visitors ease to their fourth win in five games in all competitions since the turn of the year.

“There’s only so many excuses you can make. We’re right in the middle of a relegation battle here and we can’t keep relying on Ards to get beaten to keep us off the bottom,” admitted a disappointed Mullen, whose side haven’t avoided defeat since their clash with the Point on Boxing Day.

“Some week they are going to start winning and we could be left down there.

“It’s difficult because the mentality we’ve had this last five years has been to push on and try and get promotion. Now it’s the flip side of that, but the end goal is to stay in the league.

“If we can do that, then we’ll be a lot better both mentally and physically for it. It’s tough at the minute.”

Warrenpoint took the lead midway through the first half when Duffy collected the ball on the right touchline before cutting inside Noel Healy and John Boyle before placing his low left foot drive out of the reach of Coleman.

They doubled that advantage nine minutes before half-time when Ciaran O’Connor was somehow allowed to squeeze his cross from the right past two watching Newry players and an unmarked O’Sullivan was given time and space to chest the ball down and lash a volley home from 15 yards.

After a dismal six-game losing run at the start of the season, Point boss McDonnell says that his plan to improve the club is bearing fruit as he hoped it would.

“The players managed it well and they’re learning as the season is going on,” said the 26-year-old, whose side now sit just behind Institute, who currently occupy the final European play-off position.

“As I said at the start, let’s judge us over 38-games and not one particular performance.

“That’s four wins out of five in the New Year and we lost to Linfield, who are probably going to go and win the league.

“It’s been massively pleasing, especially the way we managed that second half.

“Our primary focus is to stay in the league, but internally we always feel we have enough quality to push forward, wherever that will take us.

“We have 12 games left and it’s there.

“We’re a point behind the play-off position, and while we’re not saying we’re going to get it, we’re in a position where we can compete for it.”

Newry City AFC: Coleman, King, Healy, Noonan, Boyle, McCann, Montgomery (S Hughes 60), Walker (Teggart 75), Carville, Pender (McCabe 60), M Hughes

Subs not used: Hunter, Mooney, Moody, Rushe

Warrenpoint Town: Thompson, Moan, Scannell, Reilly, Wallace, McCaffrey, M Lynch, O’Connor (Watters 69), Donnelly (Kelly 77), O’Sullivan, Duffy (Foster 75)

Subs not used: Turker, Griffin, McGrandles, J Lynch

Referee: Tim Marshall