Five star Institute secure big victory

Institute produced their best performance of the season, to easily see off title chasing Annagh United, at sun-soaked Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

Manager Brian Donaghey, who watched the game from the stand as he serves a two match suspension, will have been delighted with what he saw, however his team in truth should have won by a far bigger margin.

'Stute with Ian Parkhill, in particular, missed a host of clear cut chances, but the three points moved the Drumahoe side up alongside Knockbreda into that all important third from bottom spot, which would avoid a relegation play-off place.

Parkhill's hat-trick will grab all the headlines and his pace in behind caused Annagh problems all day, however young midfielder Mark McFadden and Sean Doherty drove 'Stute on from midfield.

The visitors had a good half chance on nine minutes as Gareth Muldoon could only parry away Craig Taylor's left wing cross but fortunately for the keeper Lee Upton's follow up strike, from just inside the box, flashed just wide.

'Stute took the lead on 18 minutes in somewhat fortunate circumstances as Brendan McLaughlin played the ball over the top to release McFadden, the midfielder cut-inside and his cross-cum-shot from the left hand side of the box, was headed into his own net by the unfortunate Upton.

The Drumahoe club raced into a two goal lead on 27 minutes following a neat passing move which saw Gareth Brown pick out Jamie Dunne and the left wing's cut-back found Parkhill, who gleefully side footed home from 12 yards, despite goalkeeper Eoin Hughes' best attempts at trying to keep it out.

Within a minute the visitors had pulled a goal back as a fantastic long throw by Taylor was found Upton and his header sailed over Muldoon into the net.

Brian Donaghey's men had a glorious chance to score a third as Dunne fed Brown, but after getting in behind Scott McCullough, his close range left footed strike was parried around the post by Hughes.

Institute did score a third on 41 minutes in bizarre circumstances as when Doherty's free-kick inside his own half, caught out Hughes, who seemed to lose the cross in the sun and the ball bounced into the unguarded net.

Just before the break United's day went from bad to worse as they were reduced to ten men when skipper Gary Henderson was shown a straight red card by referee Diarmuid Harrigan, following an off the ball incident with McLaughlin.

Institute should have ended the game as contest on 49 minutes as Parkhill broke the offside trap, before his right wing centre found an unmarked Brown, but the in-coming striker's left footed close range effort, was straight at Hughes.

Just before the hour mark the Waterside men went close to adding a fourth in three separates occasions with Parkhill seeing his volley blocked on the line, McLaughlin's follow-up shot, which had Hughes beaten, was blocked by the unfortunate Brown and Dunne's drive was blocked by United substitute Aaron Rogers.

Institute deservedly scored again on 61 minutes as McFadden flicked on for Parkhill to break the offside trap and the Coleraine loanee made no mistake, drilling the ball low into Hughes' bottom right hand corner.

Parkhill should have netted 'Stute's fifth when he again got in behind, but with only Hughes to beat, the front man's tame close range strike was saved by the United net-minder.

A super flowing move by the home side on 83 minutes ended with a penalty when Ryan Harper's poor challenge brought down McLaughlin inside the box and Parkhill completed his hat-trick with the resulting spot-kick, slotting the ball low into Hughes' bottom left hand corner, to complete the rout.

Institute: Gareth Muldoon, Jay Riley, Rhys McDermott, Shaun Leppard (Tiernan Brown 50), Conor Quigley; Mark McFadden, Shaun Doherty, Brendan McLaughlin, Jamie Dunne (Patrick McLaughlin 77); Gareth Brown (Caolan McLaughlin 65), Ian Parkhill.

Annagh United: Eoin Hughes, Jordan Campbell (Shane McKinney 76), Ryan Harper (Ross Hunter 75), Niall Henderson, Peter Duffin, Stephen Murray, Craig Taylor, Adam Carroll (Ross Hunter 61), Lee Upton, Scott McCullough (Aaron Rogers HT), Ryan Moffatt (Dale Malone 72).

Referee: Diarmuid Harrigan