Mens seconds impress against Inst seconds

The men’s seconds got off to an impressive start in their first league game of the season in Junior One on Saturday at Comber Leisure Centre.  Visitors were Instonians seconds with whom the North Down team shared a win each last season.

North Down featured new signing Allen Irwin from Bangor and Paul Adgey who has stepped down, hopefully temporarily, from the first eleven.  North Down got off to the best possible start when Mark Shannon put them in front early on.  It was soon a two goal gap as Stevie Magee fired in a rocket from the edge of the circle to give the keeper no chance and at the other end, Lee Brown in goals was a spectator for most of the half.  With five minutes remaining in the first period North Down had strong claims for a penalty stroke turned down and were unsuccessful with the resulting short corner.

The second half was a repeat of the first with Stevie McGimpsey orchestrating play and keeping the ball zipping around the pitch. From one such move involving half the team, Instonians were left chasing shadows as the ball fell to Michael Orr for a tap in at the far post to make it 3-0.  Play became scrappy for a while with a number of players feeling the umpires’ wrath and Lee Brown was eventually called upon to make his first save of the game.  With ten minutes remaining Adam Tate missed a glorious one on one chance with the keeper but Stephen Forrest stepped in moments later with a tap in goal to make the final score 4-0 for the Comber boys.