Down took a point off Senior 2 leaders Campbellians at Malone Park last weekend.

The home side, which has found some good form recently following its disastrous start to the season, played well in parts, but it was the visitors who created the majority of the chances in the first half.

The Belfast outfit was particularly wasteful in front of goal and Down's 'keeper Carl Mullan, who only took up hockey in September, again impressed with a number of excellent saves over the 70 minutes.

The clash of the big two was expected to produce a spectacle but the shale surface prevented that and both teams had to knuckle down, especially in the middle of the park, as the game progressed.

Mullan made his first save in the fourth minute, racing from his goal to deny Stephen McMillen who missed a hatful of chances on the day. James Erskine then swooped when McMillen was about to pull the trigger in the sixth minute and then Down's David Ferris had to be alert to prevent Todd getting his shot away when well placed.

Down's first real attack came in the 12th minute when Paul Tate brilliantly picked out Shaw McVeigh on the left wing but the latter lost control at the vital moment. A minute later McMillen again found himself unmarked but Mullan forced the Campbellians forward to screw his shot past the wrong side of the post.

Erskine and home skipper Jeremy McCready combined to thwart Campbell before Mullan again denied McMillen. At the other end, Chris Maskery produced a smart tackle to prevent Tate weaving his way into the penalty area and then Mullan again denied McMillen.

Erskine robbed McMillen off possession inside the home penalty area in the 29th minute with Down awarded their first short corner of the game four minutes before the interval. From the set-piece, Gavin Ringland's shot was deflected for a short corner. Two minutes before the break Tate saw another shot deflected.

Campbellians were awarded their first short corner of the game with just seconds of the half to go but they made a mess of it and the umpires ended the half.

In the second period, Down just shaded it and within two minutes of the restart Tate's great run ended with him picking out Mark Elliott who couldn't control the ball. Tate again went close in the 48th minute, but his shot was saved by Niall Gilmer.

Campbellians thought they had opened the scoring in the 54th minute but a forward's goal-bound shot was taken off the line by McCready. Ringland produced the perfect cross in the 58th minute but none of his team mates could get on the end of it. Elliott won the home side a short corner in the 62nd minute with Tate's subsequent shot blocked by Maskery.

While the game wasn't a classic, Down were pleased with a point, while Campbellians will be pleased they avoided a defeat to maintain top spot in Senior 2.