Harlequins 4-3 Newry Olympic

Olympic 1s suffered their first defeat of their season away to Belfast Harlequins on Saturday in a high scoring game. 

Harlequins started well as Newry soaked up some early pressure, but it was the visitors who took the lead when Keith McWilliams fired a reverse stick cross in for Colin McKnight to tap in at the back post. However, the lead was short lived as ‘Quins were back level three minutes later from a short corner. 

Newry got their noses back in front again with a short corner with Peter McKnight converting to keep his early season goal scoring form going. Quin’s again got back on level terms when a shot was deflected in past Richie Henning in Newry’s goals. It was end to end and the chances did not stop coming and just before the break Olympic went back in front again through Peter McKnight when he slid in at the back post to deflect in a cross from Nigel Davenport. 3-2 at the break.

Both sides cancelled each other out for much of the third quarter, however Quins did score late on in the quarter to draw the scores level for a third time. As the game wore on, Newry were hitting Quins on the break and should have taken at least one of their opportunities. This proved very costly as the home side scored with a drag flick with 6 minutes remaining. Olympic should have come away with at least one point, but John Taylor’s shot was stopped on the line just before the final whistle.

Newry Olympic

R. Henning, J. Gregg, C. Henning, M. Russell, A. Baird, J. Taylor, P. McKnight, N. Davenport, C. McKnight, K. Fletcher, K. McWilliams, R. Irwin, J. Greer (Capt), I. Steen, K. McCombe