Down’s season is going from bad to worse while Saintfield's just keeps getting better.

The Malone Park side finds itself at the bottom of Senior Two after losing to its derby rivals at home for the first time, while Saintfield are on a crest of a wave after bagging all three points just a week after taking a point off title favourites Campbellians.

Down are in freefall at the moment. They were forced to start their first home game in Senior Two with nine men and while they battled back from 3-0 down to level things at 3-3, Saintfield scored two more goals in the dying minutes to record a result which will send shockwaves across the league.

The only recognised senior players to start for Down were Chris and Stephen Ferguson, Adam McKee, Mark Elliott and Gavin Ringland and it showed. Saintfield have lost five senior players this year but they played with more purpose and conviction and thoroughly deserved their win.

Down are in a mess at the moment and the fact they are at the bottom of the league will hurt. They need to start winning with all players making themselves available for selection.

Last Saturday, in perfect conditions at Malone Park, Saintfield started more promisingly and The Demesne outfit were delighted to welcome back Nigel Jackson who has shelved his retirement plans.

Down went into the game confident they would win but they were rocking after five minutes when Gavin Kirkpatrick scored his first of four goals on the day when Down 'keeper Karl Mullan saved an initial shot.

Nine minutes later Chris and Stephen Ferguson paid the price for remonstrating with the umpire. As they debated the official's decision, Saintfield took a quick free and drilled the ball upfield which was collected by Jackson who scored to leave his former club in real trouble.

The home side forced a number of short corners but their control was woeful and they failed to get a shot in to test Alastair Patterson in the Saintfield goal.

Kirkpatrick found himself in acres of space in the 24th minute but Gavin Ringland produced a great recovery tackle to win back possession and clear the danger. A minute later Mullan pulled off a great save to deny the Saintfield striker.

Three minutes before the break the home supporters couldn't believe what they were seeing when Kirkpatrick pounced during a goalmouth scramble to drill the ball home to give his side a 3-0 lead which no one could have forecast at the start of the game.

Down staged something of a mini revival in the second half. Three goals in arrears they had to go for it and did. Ringland saw a short corner shot deflected wide in the 48th minute before Mark Graham was the architect of his side's opening goal.

His shot was saved by Patterson but poacher supreme Elliott nipped in to push the ball over the line. The home umpire then played a great advantage to allow Elliott another scoring opportunity but he was denied by Patterson who made a smart save.

It was all one-way traffic with Saintfield forced to pull every man behind the ball but Ringland pierced a hole in the sturdy looking rearguard in the 60th minute. And with just under 10 minutes to go Down completed what looked like a remarkable recovery to earn a point.

Graham won the ball and fed McKee whose pinpoint pass picked out Elliott and the Down marksman made no mistake to level things at 3-3.

Play swung from end to end and with a minute to go Down supporters were breathing a sigh of relief as it looked as though their side had got out of jail. But there was even more drama to come.

McKee lost possession after receiving a pass which should have been cleared to the other end of the pitch. Unfortunately for the young midfielder, he lost possession and the ball was drilled towards Kirkpatrick who made it 4-3.

And, straight from the hit off, the ball was pumped back into the Down penalty area and Kirkpatrick produced a scintillating finish, drilling the ball past Mullan who was powerless to stop the piledriver.

Down's dismal first half performance had cost them dear. They need to cut out the mistakes and address indiscipline.

As for Saintfield, they are on the crest of a wave and go into this Saturday's home game against Parkview brimming with confidence. Down face the PSNI away and are clearly in for another tough afternoon.