Seconds deadlock with Ballymena seconds

North Down seconds hosted Ballymena seconds at Comber Leisure Centre last Saturday drawing 1-1 in their league match.

North Down were slow to start playing defensively against the Ballymena attacks. A penalty corner for the visitors saw a slip left from the Ballymena forward at the top of the circle and after some scrappy play in front of goal the ball found the back of the net giving Ballymena an early lead.

In the second quarter, the hosts maintained strong pressure on the Ballymena defence, starting to link up passes from the midfield around the opposition. Good defence from North Down saw the forwards and midfield picking out balls and intercepting passes to create good chances on goal.

The intensity was maintained in third quarter. More passes linking up led to a great ball from Louise McIlrath outside the circle which found Ashleigh Hamilton on the left who put the ball through the Ballymena keeper’s legs and into the back of the net, making the score 1-1. The Comber girls kept up the pressure, winning a few more corners but were unable to make it count.

In the final quarter, Ballymena made efforts to come back but North Down defended well and had equal efforts at another goal. Another corner from the visitors saw a strike from Ballymena which was saved by Caitlyn Adair and good home defence saw the corner played out with conceding any more frees for the game to finish deadlocked at 1-1.

Burch Autos Player of the Match was Tilly Nield