BALLYMENA Seconds endured their most disappointing week of the season as they fell to defeats by Lisburn II and North Down II in the space of four days.

A demoralising ten wicket loss to Lisburn in a midweek fixture at Wallace Park was followed by a 55-run turnover by their Comber visitors at Eaton Park on Saturday.

Neil Fullerton's men managed just 110 on a good track in Lisburn last Tuesday night, collapsing from 98 for five, and then could do nothing as Jonathan Bell (64) and Bruce Topping (43) showed them how it should be done by reaching the winning target after just 19.2 overs.

Then at the weekend it was Neil Burns' 84 that helped North Down set an imposing target of 252 for victory that the hosts never really looked like ever threatening.

After his four wickets the week before in the victory over Muckamore II, Paul Black was again the pick of the bowlers with three for 48 from ten, as the home side restricted their visitors to 251 for eight, after they had reached 146 for one with 19 overs remaining.

Jack Gibson also took three wickets, but both he and opening bowling partner, Richard White, were guilty of bowling too short as North Down got off to a rapid start with 63 runs from the first 12 overs.

In reply, Stephen Colgan (41) and David Montgomery (45) helped Ballymena to 77 for one after 21 overs, but when two wickets fell in next over and Montgomery got bogged down by some excellent bowling from Eakin and Irvine the home side lost their way.

William Montgomery (32) played some excellent shots, while Ballymena Academy teenagers, Richard McNeill (11) and Matthew Dick (19), showed some promise as the home side eventually finished 196 for nine.

North Down II 251/8 (P Black 3 for 48, J Gibson 3 for 56)

Ballymena II 196/9 (D Montgomery 45, S Colgan 41)

North Down II won by 55 runs.