Mens fourths easy away win
North Down fourths travelled to South Antrim fourths in Lisburn with a much changed line-up and looking to avenge an earlier league cup defeat.
The game began with both teams taking time to find their shape in the wet and blustery conditions. It wasn’t long before the counter attacking instincts of the North Down midfield served up the first goal of the match with Andrew Haire squaring for Andrew Shannon to grab the first in the eighth minute. North Down were well in control for most of the first half and Roger Graham in goals spent much of his time as an interested, if damp, spectator. Just on the half time whistle, Sam Brown found Chris Drysdale and his shot was turned in on the line by Jonny Green to put the fourths comfortably ahead 2-0 at the interval.
With Colin Mockford and Gavin Rogers in tandem the defence was always going to be well organised and most of the best moves started from great switches! Ben Willis and Marty Moreland were having strong games in midfield giving the wide players room to get forward and when a quickly taken free found Brown his cross was converted by Drysdale on 48 minutes.
North Down’s only blip in the day came when, after conceding a short corner against the run of play in the 56th minute, a well worked switch resulted in South Antrim grabbing a goal back. The lads kept possession for much of the last 15 minutes but were wasteful in the final third prompting a stern talking to at the end, however the final shout went to Jonny Green whose smart finish made it 4-1!
PMB Man of the Match: Jonny Green.
