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Press Release - 07/10/1996
East Antrim Hockey Club
07 October 1996
For further information, contact:
Stephen Swann
Press Release Officer - East Antrim Hockey Club
34 Carnmoney Road, Newtownabbey, BT36 6HP
078 0316 7731
stephen@eastantrim.co.uk
EAST ANTRIM V PORTRUSH
An early start at the Coleraine campus of the University of Ulster had a dramatic effect on the lineup of the East Antrim team in last Saturday's vital cup match with Portrush. East Antrim were left with 5 regulars from the team missing due to work or school commitments.
Instead of buckling down to some hard graft, however, the East Antrim team were ill-disciplined and uninterested in the match as a contest. Indeed the onlooking spectators could have been forgiven for thinking that the Glengormley men were piloting a new team formation which lacked any players in a midfield role.
It did not take Portrush long to open the scoring, which was quickly followed by two more goals just before half-time. East Antrim did have the odd chance to shine in and around the opposition's penalty area, but the pressure came to no avail.
At 3-0 down at half-time, East Antrim tried to restore some pride by hitting the post from a Neal Hermon effort, then finally scoring through Tim Browne after good work down the flank by Mark Watson. Watson, however, was removed from the field of play by virtue of a yellow card shortly after the goal.
Further ill-discipline and some quite unbelievable antics when East Antrim had possession gave Portrush the opportunity to turn the game into a "No Contest". Four goals were rattled into the net of Johnny Hamill, despite some valiant efforts by the East Antrim goalkeeper.
The whistle blew for full-time with score standing at 7-1 to the home team, thus destroying any unrealistic hopes East Antrim may have had of progressing through to the semi-finals of the competition.
East Antrim 2nds, by contrast, maintained their lead at the top of Junior League 5 with a 2-1 win over N.I.C.S. Goals from team captain Robert Gibson and Scott Higginson sealed victory in what has been the 2nd XIs sternest match to date. East Antrim 3rds, devastated by withdrawals, visited Raphoe with only 9 men, despite the fact the club has enough players to field its three teams with enough spare players to field another two. Leon Currie scored a fine individual goal in a game which was always going to be beyond the East Antrim team's reach. The final score of 3-1 to Raphoe was, however, a lot less embarrassing than the senior team within the club could manage.
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