Match Summary

A real strong blustery wind was blowing over North End Park today, as the teams prepared to lock horns for this 'top clash'.

Game on... and both teams are knocking the ball around in midfield with silly mistakes being made by both teams, Downfield are closing every pass down at a quick pace and are looking the hungrier at this point, 8 min. on the clock and Downfield are awarded a freekick in a dangerous position, the dokens defence deal with it, only a few minutes later and a 'Spiders' player takes a chance and bully's his way through the Dokens midfield, once in shooting range he launches a shot from around 25yrds out which catches everybody out and lands in the back of the North End net ...GOAL!! 1-0 Downfield.

The Dokens players shocked by this early goal rally round and begin to add pressure, and only a minute & half after Downfield scoring the North End boys are level! a terrific lofted pass from Calvin Culqhoun (I think?) lands in the path of Connor McLeod who neatly fires the ball low and under the keeper to make the score level...GOAL!! North End 1 Downfield 1  (Connor McLeod)

In the 30th minute the Spiders are on the attack .. a chipped ball catches the DNE defenders out and ex-North End player Sean Kelly is handed a gift, he rounds the keeper and shoots, defender Darryl Gowans sticks his foot out and manages to block the shot from hitting the net, it then lands back at Kelly's feet and he again launches it goalwards, but big Jay Smart this time clears the threat with a strong headed clearance! shortly afterward the refs whistle deafened everybody as disastour strikes, a Spiders player was given a straight red and sent for an early bath for a challenge the ref deemed dangerous. Downfield now with only ten men keep battling but The Dokens take advantage, they are awarded a free kick in there own half, it is launched up to the edge of Downfields 18 yard box, it gets knocked down from one of there defenders and lands at the feet of Sam Simpson who cooly slots the ball through to Connor McLeod who then dispatches it in to the back of the net nicely at the far away post..GOAL!! North End 2 Downfield 1 (Connor McLeod) this was a special goal as it was goal number 100 for the Dokens this season... A few minutes before half time the Dokens were unlucky again when Reece Ritchie took the paint of the top of the bar with a well struck shot.

HALF TIME North End 2 Downfield 1

Second half has been going for only 7-8 minutes and Downfield are surging forward they get inside the box and Georgie Grier is forced in to a challenge, the referee has no hesitation and blows his whistle and points to the penalty spot! the Spiders score from the penalty GOAL!! North End 2 Downfield 2. The Dokens are not taking advantage of the 10 men Downfield up to this point, but... thats about to change, Barry McNaughton was out on the wing, he then makes a long pinpoint pass which bounces perfectly in front of subsitute Jamie McCabe, he took one touch to control then hammered the ball from a slight angle right in to the 'Spiders' net..cracker!! GOAL!! North End 3 Downfield 2 (McCabe). in the 82nd minute Dean Easton (DNE Keeper) drop kicks the ball from his box, aided by the wind it drops just outside the Spiders box after bouncing once the on-form Connor McLeod makes no mistake and chips it over the on-rushing keeper to complete his HATRICK..GOAL!! North End 4 Downfield 2 (McLeod).

FULL TIME: North End 4 Downfield 2 (scorers: Connor McLeod x 3 HATRICK. Jamie McCabe x 1)

Dave Martin DNE Manager's thoughts on the game:

Downfield having a man sent off obviously helped, but I dont think there was a lot in the game to be honest, we have played a lot better in other games but sometimes that's the way it is..I would have taken that scoreline before the game, so i am not complaining, we only have 4 games to go now, it's all in our hands, lets move forward & see what these games bring.