DOWN completed a Senior 2 double over derby rivals Saintfield at The Demesne last weekend.
The visitors played well in the opening 20 minutes with some terrific flowing hockey, but they lost their way for a time after that, inexplicably reverting to a long ball game when there was no need for it on a pitch where passing was easy.
When these two sides last met, Down hammered eight goals past Saintfield with their opponents unable to convert a glut of chances they created and it was a similar story last weekend.
Saintfield opted to start with Nigel Jackson up front and on another day he could have scored four or more goals, but was denied by Down ‘keeper Jeremy McCready who had a superb afternoon. Ahead of him Philip Cheevers was outstanding and came to his side’s rescue on more than one occasion.
Both sides were missing players for the weekend derby clash. James Erskine and Sinclair White were missing for Down, while Saintfield’s absentees included Davy Hobbs, Gavin Kirkpatrick and Mark Tate.
The home side was clearly intent on avenging that heavy defeat just a few weeks ago and opted to man-mark Down’s Gavin Ringland from the outset, with the experienced Ivor Johnston coming in at the back to allow Jackson to play up front.
Down started well, forcing their first of numerous short corners in the second minute when Paul Tate’s shot was saved by Alastair Patterson. Greg Burns then went on a rampaging run with his cross into the Down penalty area just missing Johnny Poole who was in acres of space with no defender in sight.
The experienced Johnston swooped to deny Paul Neill a shot on goal and in the sixth minute and at the other end, Conor Ferguson’s free picked out Jackson whose first time shot was kicked clear by McCready. Johnston again cleared from Neill before the visitors took the lead following a scintillating move in the 10th minute.
Richard Owens, making his first appearance for the senior side this season, carried the ball out of defence and slipped it to Tate, who moved it on to Duff who drove forward into the heart of the Saintfield backline, slipping the ball to Ringland who got the deftest of touches to deflect it past Patterson.
Ringland was then caught napping by Ferguson who sprayed the ball wide to Poole but the winger was robbed off possession by Duff who got back well. Philip Brown was caught out of position in the 13th minute but the superb Cheevers stepped across to clear the danger.
Three minutes after taking the lead, Down made it 2-0 with another well-worked goal, with Ringland the architect on this occasion. He picked the ball up in the middle of the park and fed Duff whose clever pass picked out goal poacher supreme Mark Elliott and there was only going to be one outcome.
Within a minute, Saintfield could have pulled a goal back, but Sammy Davidson’s shot stuck Poole on the foot and the chance was gone. It was end-to-end stuff at this stage with Tate and Elliott combining in the 18th minute, with the former failing to finish. Then Owens gave away possession but that man Cheevers was there again to tidy up.
Tate and Elliott combined again in the 19th minute but Elliott’s control let him down when it mattered and then McCready came to his side’s rescue in the 21st minute when he again denied Jackson who really should have scored.
With eight minutes to go until the interval, a menacing Jamie Kirkpatrick run into the Down penalty area was stopped by Cheevers and then a rampaging run by Brown into the Saintfield penalty area won a short corner. But, as so often was the case over the 70 minutes, the visitors failed to test Patterson from set-pieces. At this point in the game Down were awarded three short corners in quick succession but failed to hit the target.
With a minute of the half remaining, Poole found himself unmarked with just McCready to beat but the Down ‘keeper came out on top, kicking the ball to safety.
Cheevers produced the first tackle of the second half , nipping the ball off Ferguson’s stick before Ringland won a short corner for the visitors in the 38th minute. Nothing came of it.
Stephen Tate and Kirkpatrick combined to set up a chance for Jackson but the forward’s control let him down and then Patterson produced a smart save to deny Tate after he had been set up by Chris Taylor. A minute later Elliott missed an opportunity to make it 3-0.
Cheevers was proving an immovable barrier while at the other end, Burns prevented Neill getting in on goal after more good work by Taylor. Owens and Neill combined to create a shooting opportunity for Ringland, with the ball striking Lawrence Murphy on the foot. But once again nothing came from the set-piece.
Burns again cleared his lines in the 56th minute and when Saintfield were awarded a short corner a minute later McCready produced another save, denying Poole a certain goal.
With 11 minutes to go, Saintfield pulled a goal back when Jackson finally got his striking right. He was set up with his chance by Stephen Tate at a short corner and drilled the ball home. Two minutes later Jackson almost made it 2-2, but Clifford Lennon produced a brilliant defensive block.
Saintfield believed they could get score a second goal and pressed forward, but Cheevers kept a tight rein on Jackson, with the home forward not getting much support up front. McCready then produced another great save to deny Jackson.
With three minutes of normal time to go, all hope of a Saintfield comeback was killed off when Down made it 3-1. Ringland surged forward and drilled a ferocious cross into the visitiors’ penalty area where Paul Tate made no mistake with a neat deflection, despite Patterson getting his stick to the ball.
Saintfield: Alastair Patterson, Ivor Johnston, Aaron Kearney, Lawrence Murphy, Sammy Davidson, Conor Ferguson, Greg Burns, Johnny Poole, Stephen Tate, Craig Harkness, Nigel Jackson. Sub: Jamie Kirkpatrick.
Down: Jeremy McCready, Philip Cheevers, Alasdair Duff, Paul Neill, Philip Brown, Clifford Lennon, Richard Owens, Chris Taylor, Gavin Ringland, Mark Elliott. Sub: Willie Price.
Saintfield 1
Down 3
SENIOR 2