Down seconds produced a five-star performance to secure their first win of the season last Friday night.

Gary Tate's men turned on the style to see off a determined challenge from Annadale fourths who were relegated from Junior 2 last season.

Down went into the game pointless and knew they had to produce a morale-boosting performance and they did, with Tarbotton grabbing the headlines with a sublime hat-trick.

While Down ended the game with five goals, they scoreline could have been double that had it not been for an inspired performance from James Cranston in the Annadale goal who made a string of superb saves.

Tarbotton signalled his intentions in the third minute when he collected a pass from Paul Tate but the teenager's shot, which looked destined for the back of the net, was cleared off the line by a defender.

Tarbotton was then denied in the 17th minute before Paul Tate opened the scoring for the home side three minutes later when he converted the second of two short corners awarded in quick succession.

Tarbotton knocked on the door again in the 25th minute before the experienced Gary Dempster scored for Annadale to make it 1-1 just 10 minutes before the interval. Indeed had it not been for a superb tackle from David Ferris two minutes later, Dempster would surely have put his side ahead.

Jeremy McCready's rasping shot was then saved at the other end and Cranston produced a point-blank save to deny Paul Tae in the final minute of the half.

Chris Ferguson stopped Dempster in his tracks on the edge of the Down penalty area within minutes of the restart and moved forward menacingly, but his cross into the penalty area didn't find a colleague.

It was all one-way traffic at this stage as Down took the game by the scruff of the neck. Paul Tate fired wide in the 40th minute before the home side put clear water between themselves and Annadale with three goals in as many minutes.

McCready scored from a penalty corner to make it 2-1 before James Erskine sent Philip Brown scampering away and his accurate cross picked out Tarbotton who rattled the ball past Cranston to make it 3-1.

Tarbotton then made it 4-1 after exchanging passes with McCready during a well-worked short corner set-piece.

Back came Annadale who had no intention of throwing in the towel and Tim Lowry scored to make it 4-2 but any hopes of a dramatic comeback by the visitors were dashed when Tarbotton completed his hat-trick, pouncing on a loose ball during a goalmouth scramble with less than a minute to go.