Depleted Bann hold off Service in first league game

Civil Service 2

Banbridge 3

BANN started their Ulster Premier League campaign at the weekend with a tricky trip to newly promoted Civil Service on their new and very impressive hockey complex at Stormont.

Mark Tumilty was dealt a major blow before the game with defender Stephen Forbes joining Hugh McShane, Josh Moffett, Simon Magowan and Chris Boyce on the injured list.

On a humid Saturday afternoon in front of a large crowd, the game started scrappily as the two teams adjusted to the lively surface.

After 10 minutes Bann settled and started to impose their passing game on the home side, leaving Service relying on counter attack to threatening Gareth Lennox’s goal.

Bann continued to play neat attractive hockey from back to front but were struggling to find space in the well marshalled home defence. On 20 minutes Dermy Reay crashed an effort off the crossbar following a great cross by Ross McCandless.

Bann were now in the ascendency and Scott McCandless, linking with brother Bruce, were causing problems on the right flank. From one of these attacks the younger McCandless exchanged a pass with Colin Dowds and shot low with the keeper Brown making a solid stop.

With only minutes left to the break Bann deservedly took the lead with a beautifully worked goal. Scott Forbes at left half linked a series of quick passes with Bruce and Colin Dowds before playing Bruce in on the baseline to cross for the diving Stephen Dowds to tap home for the opening goal.

The young centre forward struggled in front of goal last season but that’s now four goals in as many games for the youngest Dowds.

Bann started the second period as they finished the first with Dane Ward and Stephen Dowds causing major problems in the home sides defence. Two early corners were wasted before Dane Ward converted a corner variation to give Bann a 2-0 lead.

Stephen Dowds almost made it three, minutes after with a sublime run and finish that looped over the keeper and seemed destined for the bottom corner but the away support’s celebrations were cut short as the ball agonisingly missed the far post.

To service’s credit they kept coming forward with the always tricky Aaron Gill causing problems as they earned a couple of corners. However Bann defended well without any great threat on Lennox’s goal.

Bann’s tackling was suspect throughout the match and this culminated in Bruce McCandless been sent to the bin after a poor challenge.

This seemed to galvanise Bann and when Matthew Bell replaced Scott McCandless at right half midway through the second period. He made an instant impact, sliding a ball down the right side for Niall Kelly whose cross was inch perfect for Owen Magee to complete an all schoolboy attack to slide home number three.

The young Bann side were cruising at this stage and really should have closed the game out but individual mistakes crept into their play with over playing in areas and Service pounced to reduce the arrears with a second phase corner.

Almost as soon as Bruce had re-entered the pitch combative midfielder Drew Carlisle was sent to the sidelines with a rash challenge.

The much travelled Chris Barnes has been a clinical finisher most of his career and he again showed his quality with a rasping shot from an acute angle, high past Lennox with three minutes left.

Bann were shell shocked with the late goals but to their credit played a vital few minutes of possession hockey that stifled the homes side comeback and closed out the game without another incident.

Bann were happy with the vital three points from a tricky venue but will be aware of the importance of upping the tempo for next Saturdays night opening series of the 2010/11 Irish Hockey league season against Instonians at Shawsbridge (6pm hit off).

Team: Lennox, Sc Forbes, R McCandless, P Brown, S McCandless, C Dowds, D Carlisle, B McCandless, D Ward, S Dowds, D Reay. Subs M Bell, N Kelly, O Magee.