ULSTER hockey’s U16 and U18 youth sides made it three wins out of four games against the travelling Hockey Mentors, from England, on day one of their three-match series.
Both girls’ sides sealed narrow wins, whilst the U18 boys’ won 4-1 and the U16s lost 2-1 at Ulster University, Jordanstown.
At Belfast High School, the U16 girls quickly fell behind as the Hockey Mentors struck from a penalty corner with just four minutes on the clock.
Just moments later the visitors nearly doubled their advantage when they went close from a second short corner, only for Ulster defender Vanessa Monaghan to make a goal-saving clearance on the line.
In the closing stages of the first quarter, the young Ulster side levelled the scoring when Katie Leslie fired past the Mentors goalkeeper with 15 minutes played.
A quiet second quarter saw the sides go into the half time break with the scores remaining level at 1-1 before the visitors nearly restored their lead in the 33rd minute.
Having won another penalty corner, Ulster goalkeeper Daisy Shirlow was forced into a strong diving save to keep out the Mentors attack.
With the game reaching the latter stages, the hosts began to look more threatening, forcing their opponents goalkeeper into a number of saves with 48 minutes on the clock, but to no avail.
Five minutes into the final quarter Ulster took the lead for the first time in the tie. Katie Leslie got her second of the game as her side won the ball back in a dangerous position before she fired her effort through the goalkeepers’ legs from the top of the circle.
Unfortunately, the team couldn’t see the game out as the visitors snatched a late equaliser to make it 2-2 in the dying stages of the fixture.
With the scores level at full-time, the sides went to penalty run-ins where thanks to two great performances from both the Ulster goalkeepers, the hosts ran out winners.
At Belfast High School, the U18s also fell behind early with the Hockey Mentors taking the lead with 12 minutes on the clock.
However, Suzanne Evans’ side had the perfect response to going a goal behind as Alyssa Summerville immediately drew her side level.
Having gone into the first stoppage at a stalemate, our visitors quickly restored their lead having broken down the right and picking out an unmarked forward at the back post.
Then just moments later a fantastic strike from the edge of the circle picked out the far top corner, clipping the post on the way in to make it 3-1 to the English side.
The young Ulster side continued to push forward in search of a goal which eventually game from Chrissy Hopkins whose strike gave her side a lifeline going into the half time break.
Five minutes into the second half, Erin Pim levelled the scoring once more as her reverse effort from a narrow angle picked out the far corner and brought the score to 3-3 with 40 minutes played.
The high-scoring fixture continued to entertain as Emily Adamson completed the comeback in the final quarter after a scramble in the circle.
The forward was left unmarked at the back post before the ball landed at her feet, leaving her with a tap in from close range.
Chasing the game, Hockey Mentors opted to sub off their goalkeeper in the closing stages of the tie and the hosts were able to capitalise.
Ulster caught their opponents on the counter-attack in the closing stages of the tie before Chrissy Hopkins was left with the goal at her mercy and tapped into an open net to make it 5-3 to her side and seal the comeback victory.
