The goals flowed in the Playr-Fit Championship as Armagh City, Ballinamallard United, Dundela, Ards and Limavady United all swept to victories.

With leaders Bangor playing on Sunday the opportunity was there for HW Welders, starting the day in second, to close the gap at the top but they went down by three goals away to Armagh City.

Scoreless at the break, the Eagles moved in front midway through the second half when Dale Montgomery nodded the ball home after Shea Conway had knocked on a long free-kick into the box.

Igor Rutkowski doubled up five minutes after that at the second time of asking after cutting the Welders defence apart.

James McCormack then completed the scoring in the closing minutes with a left-foot volley into the corner of the net.

Limavady United took advantage to leapfrog the Welders into second courtesy of a 2-1 defeat of Annagh United at The Showgrounds.

Matthew Walker broke the deadlock as early as the fifth minute with a near post finish after latching onto a low free-kick.

Paul Finnegan levelled for the visitors just past the half-hour mark with a header from Niall Henderson’s corner.

Annagh could have moved in front moments after that when they were awarded a penalty for handball but Stephen Murray could only step up and fire the subsequent spot-kick over the bar.

Somewhat ironically, the winner was scored from the spot when – a couple of minutes from the break – Joe McCready converted after Finnegan was punished for a foul inside the area.

Dundela remain very much in the mix following victory over Newington at Wilgar Park.

Michael McLellan fired the Duns in front early on when he made no mistake from inside the area, but Fiontan O’Boyle levelled for the Swans with just over a quarter-of-an-hour on the clock with a header from a corner.

Charlie Dornan came within a whisker of restoring home advantage only to crash the ball off the crossbar just before the break, but McLellan did edge Dundela back in front with his second of the afternoon just past the hour.

David McMaster then wrapped the scoring up to make sure of the win deep into stoppage time after taking the ball past keeper Dean Smyth.

Daniel Barker claimed the match ball as his hat-trick saw Ballinamallard United crushed Ballyclare Comrades at Dixon Park.

Barker opened the scoring after half-an-hour after home keeper Gerard Walker dropped a corner at his feet, but the Comrades went in at the break on level terms courtesy of Caolan Donnelly’s rocket into the top left corner.

However Barker restored United’s lead five minutes after the interval at the near post from an inswinging cross, with James McGrath heading home a third moments after that.

Ballyclare’s afternoon went from bad to worse when they suffered the dismissals of Lee McCune and Tomas Gilmour within three minutes of each other midway through the second half.

Barker then bagged his third on the game with just over ten minutes to go after rounding Walker and tapping home.

Ards also hit four on the road as they edged past Institute at the Brandywell thanks to a couple of late goals.

Eamon Scannell opened the scoring on 13 minutes with a tremendous strike from distance, but ‘Stute equalised a few minutes after that when Stephen Doherty’s cross went off Zach Barr into his own net.

Max Greer restored Ards’ lead just before the half-hour mark with a cracking strike, which was how it stayed until Evan Tweed levelled midway through the second half.

But two goals in the closing minutes from Ross Hunter and a second for Greer saw the visitors come through to claim the points.