Dixie Robinson celebrates his birthday this week but the Dungannon Swifts manager can be forgiven if he isn’t in the mood for much merriment.
Robinson cut a frustrated figure as he left Stangmore Park on Saturday evening after this hugely disappointing performance and result against Lisburn Distillery.
The Whites put a black mark on the festivities by condemning a desperately poor Dungannon to their fifth loss in nine league matches this season.
Goals from Gary Liggett and substitute Jordan Hughes saw Swifts concede the points to a side who are likely to be one of their main relegation rivals.
As Robinson later admitted, Dungannon deserved little from this match.
Their first half performance ranks as one of the poorest seen this season, worse even than their opening 45 minutes against Glenavon the previous weekend.
In that match a late Swifts equaliser did much to mask an otherwise dire display.
But they cannot rely on that good fortune every week, and on Saturday there was no late salvation.
Dungannon’s play, particularly in the first half, lacked energy, focus and effort and was punished through Liggett’s 41st minute header.
There was some improvement in the second half, albeit little in terms of goalmouth action for all Swifts’ possession and pressure.
Michael Ward and Craig McClean both missed golden chances, but otherwise the opposition goal was rarely under threat.
Hughes, a 64th minute replacement, then wrapped up the win in stoppage time.
But it was the abject first half display which set the tone for a hugely disappointing afternoon, capped by Liggett’s goal four minutes from the break.
Mark Patton pumped a corner towards the back post, and the striker’s header was deemed to have crossed the line before McClean knocked the ball clear.
It was no more than the Whites deserved after dominating the chances.
Only a terrific Niall Morgan save denied them in the fourth minute. Pat McShane crossed towards Jordan Forsythe whose downward header was scooped away by the goalkeeper, while Liggett’s follow-up attempt smashed into the side-netting.
David Cushley twice went close, shooting wide from distance and then testing Morgan following a neat turn and shot on the edge of the box.
Joe McCready carried Swifts’ main threat and forced three decent efforts on the visitors’ goal in the closing 15 minutes of the half.
First he tested Billy Brennan with a free-kick from the edge of the box before sending a terrific individual effort narrowly wide of the left post.
However, his best chance came just before the break. A Michael Funston corner fell perfectly but McCready was denied by the ‘keeper’s legs.
He turned provider after half-time, dropping a cross onto the head of McClean, but unfortunately the defender’s effort was straight at Brennan.
Robinson sent on Stefan Lavery and Shea McGerrigan as he chased an equaliser, but it was a Distillery substitute who almost created a second for the visitors.
Hughes’ pass released Patton but, after timing his run perfectly to beat the offside trap, the midfielder placed his shot the wrong side of the back post.
Dungannon piled on the pressure in the closing 20 minutes, albeit rarely testing the ‘keeper.
They did have one terrific chance, however. A touch from Darren Murphy sent Ward through on goal, but his effort clipped the outside of the left upright.
It was a poor miss and it could have been swiftly punished. Moments later Distillery broke up field but Hughes’ strike was blocked by Morgan.
Yet the Whites would not be denied, and they wrapped up the points in stoppage time. McClean lost possession on the edge of the box and Hughes took full advantage, lobbing the ball over a stranded Morgan and into the far corner.
DGN SWIFTS: Morgan, O’Neill (McGerrigan, 59), McClean, Murphy, McMinn, Montgomery (S Lavery, 59), Ward, McCready, Funston, Fitzpatrick, McCaffrey (Campbell, 75)
Subs not used: Forker, Baldwin
LISBURN DISTILLERY: Brennan, Callaghan, McShane, McCullough, Patton (Traynor, 83), Liggett, Cooling, Ferguson, Cushley (Hughes, 64), Forsythe (Thompson, 72), Hall
Subs not used: Gardiner, O’Connor
Referee: Raymond Crangle (Belfast)
