Firsts hit Campbellians for seven

North Down gave one of their best performances of the season to defeat Campbellians by 7-1 at Comber Leisure Centre last Saturday.  Games between these two sides have always been close affairs but on this occasion a lack of discipline and being unable to match the pace of the North Down game particularly in the second period proved to be the visitors’ downfall.

 North Down opened strongly but Campbell were giving as good as they got.  Tom Donnan was unlucky to see his effort rebound off a post from a short corner.  Two moments of slack defending then allowed North Down to take the lead.  Firstly Jordan McKee crossed for Gareth Bailie to score at the far post and then Matt Wilson repeated a similar feat to give Andy McGimpsey the chance to score again at the far post.  Campbellians never gave up and got themselves back in the game when their left winger scored.

 The second half started with both sides creating chances but then North Down moved up a gear and tore a ragged visitors’ defence apart.  Donnan increased the lead and then Stephen Dalzell missed a simple tap in at the back post.  Chris Speers got number four from a corner and then Bailie got the fifth from a well worked variation at another corner.  The sixth followed shortly afterwards when Donnan got his second and then Simon Watt completed the scoring from close in just before the final whistle.  In between Andy Forrest made room for himself at the top of the circle and blasted a shot which rebounded off the crossbar.

 North Down play league hockey on a Sunday for the first time this weekend when they meet PSNI at 2.30 pm at Stormont.