SECOND HALF PERFORMANCE EASES THIRDS TO VICTORY

Banbridge Thirds 6Newry Seconds 2

BANN travelled down the road to rivals Newry knowing nothing less than a win would do.

After last weeks poor result to Raphoe they were looking to put in a good performance and try stay clear of the relegation zone against their fellow strugglers.

They welcomed back captain Michael Cowan for his first full game after being sidelined with a knee injury for eight months.

The locals started off brightly controlling the pace of the game and passing the ball around crisply on a poor pitch. The Bann midfield trio of McAuley, Doyle and Knox were dominating the midfield and Wright was having some success down the right with Dean having a few snapshots saved comfortably by the home keeper.

Within five minutes in the middle of the half Bann were dealt a hammer blow when two Newry counter attacks were resulted in two goals. Poor defending let Newry into the circle twice and they clinically took their chances.

This was totally against the run of play and Bann still started to have most of the possession and could not finish off three first half short corners.

At half time the locals were extremely disappointed to be 2-0 down but knew that this game was there for the taken if they could turn their possession into goals.

Two minutes into the second half Philip Douglas finished off a great breakaway which ended in Wright crossing for him to slap home from five yards. This was the start they were looking for and Bann started to dominate proceedings.

Philip Doyle equalised with a good strike after great work from Jess and McAuley. The locals were now on a high and were looking to go on and win the game.

Michael Cowan broke into the circle down the right after a good run and was given a controversial short in which Martin slipped left and Douglas got his second goal of the game with a crisp strike.

Newry were starting to falter and Bann wanted to seal the game off. This duly arrived five minutes later when McAuley scored possibly the easiest goal of his career when he ran in from the five yard dash line and unleashed a reverse shot in which the keeper decided to leave due to his lack of knowledge of the new rules.

Newry decided to push forward to try get back into the game but excellent defending from Hector, Cruikshanks, Martin and Cowan snuffed out any chance of the forwards getting shots on goal.

Appleton in goals was proving to have a quiet second half but he did well when called upon from short corner strikes. Philip Douglas scored number five late on which completed his hattrick when he slapped home a cross after great work down the right from Wright and Knox.

Bann won a late short corner and Martin assisted Doyle to get his second and the thirds sixth of the half. Newry were then reduced to ten for violent conduct towards the umpire.

An excellent second half performance was pleasing to see with another three points on the board.

Best for Bann were McAuley and Doyle in midfield and not to mention hattrick hero Philip Douglas. A big thank you to Ian Livingstone for umpiring a good game.

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