Mens thirds must wait until Tuesday evening

North Down thirds hosted neighbours Civil Service thirds last Saturday at Nendrum College. Having recently played mind games with the Newry senior team, Civil Service got a taste of their own medicine with a late cancellation from Newry, much to the detriment of North Down thirds as the Premier League reinforcements rerouted to Nendrum College.

North Down, high on confidence, needed only three points from the remaining two fixtures to ensure Junior 2 safety. The game got underway and the hosts had to resist a strong first 5 minute start for the visitors. Quickly getting a foothold in the game, North Down pressed and put pressure on the Service defence. Tom Donnan was causing all sorts of mischief in centre mid, and it was his strong slap into the circle that Stephen Forest deflected into the corner to put the hosts one up. Service reacted quickly with a strong strike from a short corner to level the game going into the second quarter.

The home team continued to press and great work down the right from Jack Myles found Sam Pyper in the area who found a Service foot and their first short corner of the game. A mis-directed push out was stopped and struck home by Pyper to regain the lead at half time at 2-1.

Into the second half, the North Down marking got sloppy and Service won a series of short corners none of which were converted and it was from open play that the visitors equalised after some scrappy play and a failure to clear the ball from the North Down defence.

The game opened up in the final quarter and it was end to end stuff. A mix up on the sideline and the inability for the umpire to make a decision was pounced on by Jason Purvis who took the sideline ball and played in Pyper whilst all the Service team had stopped to argue whose ball it actually was. Pyper held up the retreating defender and slipped square for Purvis, who had continued his run, but he was unable to finish and put it wide. At the other end Service pressed with no fewer than five penalty corners awarded and the law of averages resulted in Service taking the lead and seeing the game out for a shock 3-2 victory.

After recent good results, the thirds must do better in their final game away to Portadown seconds on Tuesday night and survival remains in their hands

Burch Autos Man of the Match was Tom Donnan.