Write a commentNewry Olympic Ladies Hockey 1ST 0 South Antrim Ladies 1ST 2
Newry Olympic Ladies Hockey 1ST XI headed to Friends School Lisburn on Friday night past, at 8.00 p.m. 22nd February to face top of the Leader board, South Antrim Ladies 1ST XI. Having been beaten at home in the first half of the league NOHC Ladies knew that this was going to be a battle. Newry fielded a squad of 15 strong in order to play roll on and roll off throughout the match in midfield and the forward line. Five minutes into the first half Newry were the first to put SA under pressure with a shot on goal and from then on things became heated. SA were the first to be sent off and consequently the game became extremely physical. No allowances were made, players were penalised at every turn for any mistakes and to top it all the game was more like a game of tennis due to the bounce of the pitch. Newry were the first to be awarded a corner but the ball again was saved by the SA goalie. At the end of 35 minutes neither side had scored.
The second half continued more or less like the first however within fifteen minutes SA had driven down the right hand side of the pitch and switched the ball back into the Newry goal where the SA forward slipped the ball to the right of the Newry goalie putting then into the lead. Newry continued to battle hard but ten minutes later SA were awarded their first corner and deflected the ball into the Newry net. The final whistle blew ten minutes later with the Newry Ladies being unable to equalise. Player of the match was goalie Collette Lambe. Newry Ladies will play Donaghadee at home next Saturday 2nd March with the match ball sponsored by Gary Hazley from Cyro Spa Ice Baths and Physio Banbridge.
NOHC Ladies: C Lambe (goalie), K Baird (Captain),E McCullough, L Simpson, G Davidson, L Ervine, V Lewis, R Murdock, R Greer, S Rollins, T McIlroy, S Smart, A Benson, L Inns and S Robinson.
Newry 1's 3-3 Bangor 3's
Newry hosted Bangor on Saturday hoping to make a mends for their heavy defeat away to Mossely last week. Bangor started brightly with plenty of possession but were unable to find a break through. Newry fought back and were unlucky to find the back of the net on a few occasions. First blood was drew by Bangor when they stuck with a short corner with 20 minutes gone. However this lead was short lived as Newry got back on level terms when Greer picked out Kris Fletcher with a superb cross field ball before he deflected it into McKnight who rounded the keeper coolly before squaring the ball back to Fletcher to make it 1-1.
In the second half Newry were dominant for long periods without finding the break through with Bangor happy to wait and break on the counter attack. This tactic worked as they went 2-1 up with ten minutes gone in the second half. Newry did not sit back and drove forward for the equaliser again, this time coming through a short corner which Ryan Simms improvised pulling the ball to his reverse side and slotting home.
Bangor continued to hit on the counter and after winning a shot corner they went ahead again. For the third time in the game Newry were going to have to find an equaliser, and they did with a swift move down the right with clever interplay from Fletcher Russell and McKnight, before the ball was square to Russell to slot home. Newry were back level and had momentum. It should have been three points for the home side as they won another short then having worked the ball in from the right again which looped up in the air, Fletcher smashed the ball towards the goal only to see it deflect to safety off the keepers helmet. The match ended 3-3
Team: McGivern, C. Henning, A. Baird, J. Greer, N. McKnight, R. Simms, R. Irwin, M. Russell, K. McWilliams, K. Fletcher, C. McKnight, K. McCombe, S. Megaw, D. England, N. Davenport
Newry 2's 0-2 Civil Service 2's
Newry Hosted run away league leaders Civil Service having to reshuffle the pack after a number of injuries. Newry started well but as Civil Service are into the game they began to put Newry under further pressure. The Homeside were unable to convert their early short corners and were made to pay dearly as Service took the lead with a near post effort beating Newry's stand in keeper.
Newry should have been back on level terms however McCafferty and Irwin both missed clear cut opportunities, Irwin being in with a shout for miss of the season. Service went further into the lead as they pounced on a mistake in the Newry midfield to get their second of the day. As they game wore on to half time it looked like Newry were out of ideas.
In the second half it looked like Service were happy to sit back and protect their 2-0 lead. Newry tried to get back into the game forcing numerous short corners but time and time again they came to no end. As the game wore on Newry began to wear out of patince resorting to the long ball which did get them into attacking opportunities, without resulting in a goal. Newry had to settle for a 2-0 home defeat but will hope to rectify this next week.
Team: Porter, A. Patterson, E. Graham, D. England, J. Boyd, D. Hogg, M. McCullough, S. Graham, J. McWilliams, S. McCafferty, A. Irwin, M McCullough, G. Moffett
