Braidmen lose unbeaten tag to Ballynahinch

BALLYMENA played their first match for two weeks at home to Ballynahinch in the Ulster Senior League and after a late flourish by the visitors lost by 9 points to 26.

This match started in heavy rain which persisted for most of the match which ruled out a running game.

However Ballymena won quite a bit of ball throughout the match but ignored the conditions and tried to run the ball resulting in a lot of poor passes, wrong options and a lot of mistakes. Too often good ball was wasted, given away or easily turned over.

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Ballynahinch seemed to adapt to the conditions better and used their possession much better.

Having said that scoring chances were few and far between. In 3 minutes the visitors missed a penalty and in 16 minutes Ballymena reciprocated.

On the half hour Ballynahinch put together some good phases of play to take them into the home 22. From a lineout they won the ball and moved it quickly along the line to James Simpson who scored in the corner. Ryan Bambry made a very difficult kick look easy to give the visitors a 7 points lead which they kept until half time.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first with neither side getting the upper hand in an error strewn match.

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Approaching the hour Ballymena went on the attack and after a few good phases laid siege to the visitors line. Their defence held out well but then Ballymena recycled the ball and Roger McBurney found a gap to score near the posts. Ross Connor converted to level the scores.

After this Ballynahinch seemed to lift their game but Ballymena seemed to plod along as they had done for the first hour. Ballynahinch stepped it all up and Ballymena responded well and defended well but it was a rearguard action with the visitors making all the running.

They eventually regained the lead in the 66th minute with an Aaron Ferris try. This was followed 3 minutes by another try converted by Ryan Bambry to make the score 7 points to 19.

Ballynahinch continued to dominate but with time running out they were gifted another try. Ballymena had possession but for some reason or other Gareth Fisher kicked the ball straight to a visiting player. He immediately passed to former Eaton Park plyer David Drake who raced from his own half into the Ballymena 22 and passed to Ryan Bambry who scored a try which he also converted to make the final score 7 points to 26.

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Perhaps the score was a bit flattering to the visitors but if, as Ballymena did, a side makes stupid mistakes and gives the ball away then they are going to get punished.

Ballymena: R McBurney; M Banks, D Montgomery, A Fraser, A Smyth; M Irwin, G Fisher; J Carson, J Carmichael, C Cundell, D O'Kane, C Smith, A Kerr, P Pritchard, R Hackney. Subs: C Smith, R Connor, A Warwick, S Flanagan, B Johnston.

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