League leaders too strong for mens first eleven

North Down entertained league leaders Cookstown on Saturday at Comber Leisure Centre.

The first quarter was a very even affair with both teams probing for openings but defences held firm.  Short corners were exchanged but wasted. With a minute remaining, Cookstown broke the deadlock with the winger flicking home after the ball had been switched at pace from the left.

North Down opened the second period on the attack when a strong run from Ross Blair put him in the clear and he passed to Gilmore who scored with a deft touch in front of goal.  Jamie Orr then won a corner but this was saved. With few chances from open play it was Cookstown who had a chance from a corner but it was cleared. The home defence got careless and a poor clearance from Darren Rodgers allowed Cookstown to take the lead. Rodgers made amends with a fine save from a shot on the reverse but just before the break Cookstown increased their lead from a short corner.

The second half started with North Down on the attack and Gareth Bailie had a great chance to reduce the arrears but failed to make contact at the far post following a well worked corner.  Cookstown wasted a great chance when they were awarded a penalty but their effort was well wide. Cookstown were beginning to take control and both Templeton and Linter took corners off the line.  A great overhead from deep in defence caught the North Down defence too far up the pitch and Cookstown won another penalty which was converted.  Just on the whistle for the end of the third period a Cookstown corner resulted in their fifth goal.

North Down piled on the pressure at the start of the last period and the Blair Gilmore combination again worked to reduce the arrears. Then a reverse from Tweedie flashed wide.  In the last 10 minutes the game became much more stretched and the last 5 minutes saw three further goals from the visitors to make the final scoreline 8-2  which did not reflect the fighting performance from the home side.  The sixth came after a defender was allowed to make ground unchallenged and scored with a reverse from a narrow angle.  Within a minute they scored from a corner and with 2 minutes remaining scored the final goal when a mishit went over the head of Rodgers and into the net.

A lot of positives to take from the game which hopefully can be taken into next weeks cup game against Harlequins.

Burch Autos Man of the Match was Josh Gilmore