Hockey: Cookstown II run riot against a hapless Newry

Cookstown had a huge victory over relegation-threatened Newry at Steelweld Park on Saturday with hat tricks from Scott Nelson and Ryan Millar.

The scoring spree was started by Scott Nelson’s short corner strike before Timmy Sloan’s tenacity saw him double Cookstown’s lead with ten minutes gone.

Newry hit back with two breakaways through their lone striker and might have scored if not for the efforts of Josh Anderson who made a series of stops when his defence allowed their main responsibilities to lapse.

Nonetheless, the Reds continued to be a force going forward and Ryan Millar cut a dash as he combined with Paul Watt for the latter to score the goal of the day.

Sweeper Andy Ferguson got in on the act next, picking the ball up deep in his half before sending Millar free down the right. Continuing his run, Ferguson was on hand to deflect the ball home from Sloan’s pinpoint cross and make it 4-0.

Cookstown increased their lead early in the second half when Ryan Millar thumped home the first and second of his hat trick haul before Ewan Butler and Mark Simpson swapped a one-two on the base line for the midfielder to push into the bottom corner.

Scott Nelson then doubled his takings for the day when he scored from a well worked short variation to make it 8-0.

As the rain started to pour down Ryan Millar closed out his hat trick when Gavin Butler put him through on goal and he sent a powerful reverse low to rattle the backboards.

Mitchell Greer brought up double figures when his persistence was rewarded with a goal and Scott Nelson closed out his hat-trick afterwards from another short corner set piece. Ewan Butler got his brace and Reds’ twelfth when he combined with Simpson.

Richard Nelson finished off the scoring when long corner move found Millar in space in the box and the ball was delicately touched home past the Newry goalkeeper.

This week Cookstown are away to Annadale II in the Irish Junior Cup quarter-final.

Cookstown II: Josh Anderson, Mark Wilson, Scott Nelson, Andrew Ferguson, Michael Millar, Ryan Johnston, Gavin Butler, Ewan Butler, Timmy Sloan, Richard Nelson, Ryan Millar, Mark Simpson, Paul Watt, Mitchell Greer. Solo Fuels Man of the Match: Paul Watt