Struggle for Ballymena's men's teams

MEN

PSNI 6, Ballymena 2: There was no doubt heading into the match that this would be a difficult fixture but Ballymena did not plan to attend the one man show of Chris Barnes who scored five of the home side's six goals.

From the outset Ballymena made early mistakes that allowed Barnes to unleash superb drag flicks beyond a floundering defence putting his side up 2-0 within ten minutes.

At half-time coach Simon Law created structure that was lacking in the first half, however, a winded Ballymena side conceding an early goal that for a glancing moment put the game out of sight.

Ballymena were able to play their freeflowing style of hockey in periods, one of which contributed to the first goal. Linkup play between Tory Alexander, Chris Hogg and Robin Smyth allowed the latter to put the ball beyond the keeper closing the gap to 3-1.

This was followed up by Captain David McDonald who converted a penalty corner that switched the pressure to PSNI again closing the gap now to 3-2.

While the Braidsiders pushed for the equalising goal they unfortunately opened up at the back and were confined to the history books with a 6-2 defeat.

Ballymena: G Shaw, G Tumilson, C Hogg, D McDonald, R Smyth, M Monteith, M Johnson, J Gibson, A Bell, M Allison, T Alexander, A Shields, M Stitt.

Saintfield II 5, Ballymena II 1: Ballymena Men's Seconds traveled to play Saintfield on Saturday, in a bid to regain their third place league standing, but ended up on the wrong end of a six goal nightmare.

The first half saw Ballymena pressurize the Saintfield defense, with consummate ease, but the Ballymena forward line passed up on over ten chances to score. To add to the Ballymena misery Saintfield scored a breakaway goal to take a 1-0 halftime lead.

Moments into the half, Saintfield added another goal via a penalty flick awarded after a goal mouth scramble. Two down Ballymena were on the back foot and this allowed Saintfield to add a third.

Ballymena attempting to stop the rot dispatched Andrew Shields to the forward line to boost the attack and the team's first goal, duly came with a tap-in at the back post for Holmes, to give Ballymena a glimmer of hope and renewed attack.

However, with the 3-man defence stretched to the limit, although ably assisted by keeper Gibson, Ballymena couldn't prevent the home team from scoring twice more.

Seconds: A Gibson, A Hanna, E Archer, J Russell, A Murphy, A Shields, M Corbett, A Jackson, W Barr, W Montgomery, S Healy, C McMeekin, D Holmes.

LADIES

Pegasus II 1, Ballymena II 1: The fighting spirit was obvious in the Ballymena team from the beginning of the match with Ballymena attacking right from the whistle and not allowing the home team to settle.

Ballymena set up numerous scoring chances but in each case the final touch was not enough to make the pressure count and the game remained scoreless at half time.

Through some fast accurate passing through the centre of the pitch the Pegasus centre forward picked up the ball and made no mistake in firing the ball past the stranded goal keeper.

Ballymena did not allow themselves to get down hearted and quickly through themselves into the attack again and as the ball was passed across the circle after a really good attack down the right, Megan Smyth was perfectly placed on the post to deflect the ball into the back of the net.

Seconds: J Logan, C McCracken, K Houston, S Allen, M Smyth, K Garvin, S Bell, D Alexander, J Allen, S Reid, N Harkness, S Clements.

Ballymena III 2, Dungannon II 1: Ballymena started the stronger of the two sides in this tie and it was from this that they were quickly able to add their first goal.

With good interception in the mid field, Alison Caldwell was able to swing the ball out wide for the very dangerous Judith Doyle to run at the Dungannon defenders.

When it looked like Ballymena's goal scoring opportunity was past Doyle however smashed home a shot from what looked like an unbelievably narrow angle.

Dungannon showed how dangerous they were especially in relation to short corners. Two of these found their way into the home net only for the Home side to gain reprieves when both were adjudged to be no goals due to earlier infringements. It wasn't unexpected however when Dungannon did score to leave it 1-1 going into the break.

From some creative play Caldwell found herself unmarked in the circle and took the opportunity to put Ballymena 2-1 up.