Match Report

Match : 1st XI v Down
Date : 2008-10-25
Venue : A
Score : 1-13
Scorers : Kriss Leslie

By Kriss Leslie

Not a good day for the lads in green. We went down knowing it was going to be very tough against a Down side on a gravel pitch. However, how it ended up was still simply not good enough.

The game started with Down going ahead 3-0 relatively early on in the first half. Then for about 10-15 minutes East started to create a few chances with Jamesy Greer having a couple of efforts stopped by the Down keeper. Though, just before half time Down added another two to make it 5-0 at the break.

At half time we realised that it simply wasn’t good enough and that we weren’t up for the game at all. We needed to improve greatly and keep fighting in the second half.

The second half began and for a while East started to look a bit better, going forward and creating more chances. Ronnie had a good chance after the ball was crossed into him, Jamesy a shot saved from a short, and Kriss a deflection from a free just outside the circle stopped by the Down keeper. It was short lived though and Down added a few more goals on the break as we pushed forward, rather embarassingly exposing us at the back.

East managed a consolation goal when Kriss scored halfway through the second half, but after that Down had some more fun, to say the least.

Saturday was a bad day for the green machine. We didn’t go down expecting miracles, we knew we were huge underdogs. The scoreline was disapointing yes, but it wasn’t the most annoying part of the day. Our attitude was nowhere near as good as what it has been in previous weeks. A lot of us didn’t look like we wanted to be there from the start. Moreover, it was very disapointing to see us arguing and shouting amongst ourselves. It’s understandable that we grew increasingly frustrated as the scoreline grew higher and higher, but sometimes we just have to keep our heads up and keep ploughing on.

It’s over and done with though and we just have to forget about it ahead of next weeks very important game against Ballymena. They are a team WE KNOW we can beat, and we just have to look at our performance against Parkview, which we could’ve easily won, to see that WE CAN play good hockey and compete in Senior 2. Next weeks game is the perfect opportunity to erase the memories of Down. It’s also the perfect opportunity to prove to the rest of Senior 2 and most importantly OURSELVES that we aren’t a team who get beat week in week out.

I therefore want to see EVERYONE give a BIG response next week, and so should you all...

Chris Blaney
Thom Russell
George Tumilson
Stevie Cummins
Scott Higginson
Kriss Leslie
Alan Russell
Leon Currie
Jamesy Greer
Ronnie McDowell
Kris Stewart
David Tumilson