MPL: Matchday 3 Preview

Queen’s University could make it nine league games unbeaten when they host South Antrim in the Men’s Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Matthew Bell’s side are on the longest unbeaten run of any side in the division, having started this season in blistering form.

A 9-1 win over Kilkeel on matchday one was followed by a 4-2 win over Portadown last weekend, leaving the students top of the division.

Amongst the goals have been new recruits JJ Holley and Harris Massey, who both joined the club from Bangor over the summer and have already netted a hat-trick each in the early weeks of the season.

The side now take on South Antrim, who come into the weekend having thrashed Bangor 7-1 last Saturday.

Having lost to Belfast Harlequins on the opening weekend, goals from Max Taylor (2), Chris Henry (2), Harry Yarr, Oliver Patterson and Callum Patterson ensured the side bounced back with an emphatic victory.

At The Glade, Mossley are looking to build on their promising start to the season when they host Kilkeel.

Following their promotion, the hosts have made a strong start to life in the Premier League, securing wins over CI Annadale and North Down, and now find themselves second in the division.

Pivotal to their early success has been the form of Neal Glassey, who has scored five goals in their opening two games – the joint highest in the division.

Now, looking to extend their winning run, they host a Kilkeel side who got their first point of the season in a 4-4 draw with CI Annadale last weekend.

In Belfast, CI Annadale continue their search for a first win of the season when they host Portadown.

The recently relegated side currently sit seventh in the division with one point from their opening games and now take on a Portadown side who have had just one defeat in their last five league games.

Meanwhile, Ryan Bennett has netted in both his sides opening league games and is the joint top scorer in the division with five.

The final game of Saturday’s action sees high-flying Instonians travel to bottom of the division, Bangor.

The hosts are without a win in their opening two games of the season, losing to both South Antrim and Portadown.

They now play an Instonians side who have won both of their two games this season and are currently third in the division as one of only three teams still with maximum points.

Both Ben Palmer and Stephen Kelso have made strong starts to the season, netting in both games this season, and if they can help their side to another win this weekend, they could move to top spot in the division.

On Thursday night, Belfast Harlequins came from behind to beat North Down 2-1.

A Josh Gilmore penalty corner had given the Comber side a 1-0 lead going into the half-time break before two summer recruits helped turn the game around.

First, a James Smith reverse from the top of the circle levelled the scoring before a driving Michael Patterson run was finished off by Graham Batchelor to seal a 2-1 win.