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Antrim crestfallen after Queen’s boys claim late gasp win

Thursday, 26 January 2012

Alistair McClements clears up for Antrim Thirds.

Antrim travelled to Belfast on Friday evening to play Queen's in a match seeking to extend their lead at the top of the League.
Antrim had the early pressure and in the third minute a long ball down the left, which looked to be going harmlessly wide, was somehow controlled by the long reach of Brownlees and he skilfully worked his way across the circle to slam it into the net past the helpless keeper to give his team the 1-0 lead.
Two minutes later Brownlees worked the ball in from the right to unleash a terrific reverse stick, goal bound, pile driver, but was very unlucky to see the ball strike the goalkeeper and deflect away to safety.
The goalkeeper, who had not seen the ball coming, was injured but recovered after receiving treatment.
Stuart McIlroy was penalised for a foul in the Queen's half and the ball, scooped into the Antrim defence, bounced through three defenders to the winger. He worked the ball to the bye line and through another forward it found Ross Blair close to the left hand post and he swept it into the net for the seventh minute equaliser.
Queen's won their first penalty corner in the eighth minute and the flick was deflected away for a long corner by goalkeeper Andy Heatley.
A quick attack down the right in the 13th minute saw Lloyd Kane fouled and a penalty corner awarded. The ball was switched to McIlroy and he swept it past the diving goalkeeper into the net to give Antrim the 2-1 lead.
Play became scrappy as Antrim struggled to acclimatise to the bouncy water based pitch which was causing their defence problems with their control and striking of the ball.
As the half progressed there was action in both circles but neither team could add to their scores as half time arrived.
Antrim won a penalty corner in the 37th minute but McMeekin's drag flick was deflected for a long corner. Brownlees worked the ball into the circle but Kane just failed to get that final deflection as it flew past the post.
In the 44th minute a McClintock interchange with Brownlees set Rory Brown free in the circle but instead of shooting he squared the ball across the goalmouth to waste a great chance.
Antrim had a period of pressure but their final passes were breaking down or their shots were just going wide. Brownlees was being closely marked by two players greatly reducing his effectiveness in the Antrim attack.
Then in the 52nd minute the Queen's left winger was allowed to break down the wing to fire the ball across the goalmouth for the unmarked Simon Cairns to slam the ball into the net to bring the scores level.
A 57th minute interchange between Ricky McClintock and McIlroy saw Brownlees' snap shot just skim the crossbar.
Queen's were awarded a disputed penalty corner in the 60th minute and from a strong drag flick the ball was fired high into the net. The Antrim defenders protested and after consulting his colleague the umpire ordered the corner to be taken again.
Completely unfazed by what was going on Kerrigan repeated the dose and calmly fired the ball high into the net to give Queen's the 3-2 lead.
Not helped by a series of dubious umpiring decisions, a somewhat stunned Antrim team lost their cool and a forward was harshly sin binned for what was only a loud clash of sticks.
Antrim threw everything into the attack and in the 68th minute a long ball from Johnny McMeekin found David McClintock in the circle, but under pressure from the goalkeeper, he fired his reverse stick shot just wide of the left hand post.
Antrim's chance of an equaliser ended when a couple of long corner chances were cleared after desperate scrambles in the goalmouth.
Missing Mark Smyth and Adrian Murtland meant a below par second half performance in which several good chances were missed. This along with having to play on a bouncy water based pitch saw Antrim falter in the final 20 minutes to see Queen's repeat a 'ground hog day' performance of three seasons ago when they came from behind to grab a surprise victory.
This Saturday Antrim are at home to South Antrim with a 2.30pm hit-off in what will be another tough game.
Antrim: A Heatley, A Mullan, N McCullough, D Mailey, A Linford, A Reilly, J McMeekin, S McIlroy, L Kane, I Brownlees, R McClintock, D McClintock, R Brown, D Wilson.

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