Down ease past fiesty Ballymena with style

Down ease past fiesty Ballymena with style

20 January 2016

DOWN mastered tricky underfoot conditions at Malone Park last weekend to defeat promotion rivals Ballymena 5-1.

The locals played some of their best hockey of the season with James Erskine and Gavin Ringland particularly impressive, alongside Chris Taylor, Adam McKee and Mark Elliott.

Both sides have an eye on the two promotion spots up for grabs and should be there or thereabouts at the end of the season to secure their places in Junior 4 next September.

The first half ended all square at 1-1 with Ballymena scoring an equaliser after some poor defending on the stroke of half-time. But the hosts had played well enough during the opening 35 minutes and should have been well ahead.

Water was lying on the pitch when the game got underway with both sides sussing each other out in the opening exchanges.

While Taylor and McKee were dominating the midfield, the visitors should have taken the lead in the 23rd minute but, with an open goal in front of him, Alex McKeown’s shot struck the base of the post, with the ball rebounding to safety.

Matthew O’Neill then had a great opportunity to fire Ballymena ahead but his shot was blocked by Down ‘keeper Jeremy McCready. Andrew Crawford lost his marker and was heading to the Down penalty area, but a superbly timed McKee tackle won back possession and the danger was averted.

Down were awarded their first short corner minutes later and while Taylor’s rasping shot was saved by James Birrell, a free out was rightly awarded as the shot was too high and therefore illegal.

Victor Orr’s probing run into the Down penalty area was halted by David Ferris and within seconds the home side took the lead.

Taylor weaved his magic and a clever pass into the penalty area saw Elliott do what he does best, deflecting the ball home with a deft flick.

Before the home side had time to regroup, Ballymena scored that equaliser through Mark Allison and it was all to play for in the second half.

The second period was only a few minutes old when there came a controversial moment.

Elliott thought he had scored to make it 2-1 after a high ball drilled into the penalty area was miss controlled by a Ballymena defender. 

When the ball fell to Elliott, he poked it home and while the umpire initially awarded the goal, he reversed his decision after conferring with the other official.

The decision sparked new life into Down with the home side moving up a gear. 

A mistake by Birrell allowed Elliott’s shot to squirm between his kickers and into the met to make it 2-1 and then Taylor squandered a glorious opportunity to make it 3-1. But the dynamic midfielder made up for the miss when he made it 3-1 soonafter with a shot the Ballymena ‘keeper would save 99 times out of 100.

McIntosh then found himself in on goal and while he had an opportunity to shoot, he unselfishly squared the ball to Elliott who couldn’t hit the target. A powerful Jordan Wade shot then rattled the Ballymena sideboard, with the ball rebounding out of play.

Some great play by Ferris teed up McIntosh who produced a sublime finish to make it 4-1. A Ringland shot then whizzed past the post with the ‘keeper flat-footed. McKee then left four Ballymena players trailing in his wake to take him into the penalty area but he unfortunately could not produce the finish he wanted and the chance was lost.

Quick thinking by Taylor from a free found McIntosh who made it 5-1 with a composed finish and then Elliott was denied another ‘goal’ when his effort was ruled out by the umpire.

A workmanlike performance from the home side who face Saintfield at home this weekend in the Minor Cup.