Hamilton stays positive despite Quins’ loss

FRUSTRATION was the name of the game on Saturday for Belfast Harlequins, who are five points adrift at the foot of the EY Irish Hockey League table following a 2-1 defeat to Old Alex at Deramore.

But Pegasus are flying high as they are sitting proudly at the top after making it two wins in a row as Lucy McKee (right) hit both goals in a 2-1 win over Railway Union in the late slot at the Dub.

If there was a crumb of comfort for Quins, it lay in the Pegasus result as a point or more for Railway would have increased the gap at the bottom.

Linzi Hamilton’s team, who have still to register a win after 10 matches, had been denied a draw in the midweek 2-1 loss to Pegasus by a last-gasp goal from Alex Speers.

The Quins captain was on the mark on Saturday but her penalty corner strike came with the last play of the game after almost constant pressure had failed to pay dividends earlier in the match.

Hamilton said: “We were very disappointed not to take something from the game and I thought it was a great performance.

“I felt we created more goalscoring opportunities and Alex got both their goals against the run of play.

“We had more penalty corners than them as well but credit to their goalkeeper, who had a great game.

“With half of the season still to play, we are going into it with a positive, fighting attitude and there’s a lot of belief throughout the squad.”

Almost immediately after Serena Barr had a goal disallowed from a penalty corner,

Alex went ahead in the

17th minute when Millie O’Donnell fired home another set-piece.

Four minutes from half-time, the Dublin side made it 2-0, Jamie Deacom deflecting a cross from Pia Diepman high into the net. The second half belonged to Harlequins and Jenna Watt, Barr and Claire Weir all had efforts saved by Carolyn Crampton in the Alex goal before Hamilton’s late consolation.

A short distance away at the Dub, McKee hit a brilliant 44th-minute winner, netting from a narrow angle, after earlier opening the scoring for Pegasus with Kate Lloyd levelling matters for Railway before the break. Speers said: “We are delighted to have picked up six points in the space of four days after a battle against Railway, as it always is.”

In IHL 2, Lurgan kept their promotion chances intact after Lauren Wright’s second-half equaliser secured a 1-1 draw with Trinity.

Queen’s stay top of the Ulster Premier after a 4-0 home win over Ballymoney with Alyssa Jebb claiming a first ever hattrick for the students.