Threes edge tight game against Queens

In what proved to be a very close encounter, onlookers were provided with a tense and gripping game.

With three forced changes to the side who stuttered a little the previous week against Instonians, the Toon received the opening kick of the game.

Davy Johnson's men were in no mood to make the same mistakes and as a result started the game strongly.

The forwards were keen to take an early advantage against the students and that's exactly what they did.

The opening scrums were huge for the Toon, and the Belfast boys did not know what had hit them.

The returning power and experience of Pollock on the loose head side was evident for all to see.

With this firm platform so early in the game, the opening exchanges were dominated by the Toon.

The first 20 minutes saw Ballymoney encamped in the Queens' half.

However, despite the territory, the home side could not convert the pressure to points.

Time and time again, a silly infringement would let the visitors off the hook.

This was turning into a rerun of the previous week.

As the half wore on, the visitors started to gain more confidence, fuelled mainly from Ballymoney's inability to convert their chances. Therefore, the students started to play a more expansive game, stretching the game whenever possible.

The wide open spaces on the 'big' pitch were proving a handful for the toon and unfortunately that's where the opening score of the game was to be found.

A break away move by the students, found the home side defending a five metre scrum.

Such was the power in the home scrum, that the referee awarded a penalty to the Toon.

Unfortunately the crucial touch was missed and Queens quickly passed the ball out wide to score in the corner.

A dramatic change of fortune, however, not totally unjustified. The visitors had been the stronger team in recent passages of play. Captain Johnson was not amused. The conversion was missed. 5 nil to the visitors.

With such a late score in the half, the threes had very little time to make any further advances into the queens half before the whistle was blown. There was consensus in the ranks that we had played poorly in the first half. Captain Johnson, issued strong words of encouragement. We had the home advantage, were playing towards the clubhouse, and after all we were only one score down. Reid avoided the podcast! The threes, relishing the challenge, kicked off the second half in buoyant mood.

From the start, the forwards and backs were playing much more as a unit. The driving runs of Campbell, Johnson and Reid were followed up by the mesmeric footsteps of McIlvenna and Kirkpatrick.

Play was being controlled by both of the halfbacks Dunlop and McKillop.

How Cindy keeps doing it at his age, we'll never know.

Anyhow, the Toon did not have to wait long until its opening score of the game.

The day was made for the new found talent of Wayne 'Skippy' Davidson.

Sensing a break in the play, the winger put his foot on the gas (as the yankstar would say) and as he passed various outstretched arms, the whitewash got closer and closer. One side step led to another, and another, and yet another until you could hear the sistas shout 'score the blinkin thing!'.

And as requested he slid under the posts, fully aware that the conversion was crucial. A fantastic individual score and just what the Toon needed! The conversion was added. 7-5 to the mighty threes.

The relief in the ranks was well evident.

victory was secured in the final play of the game, when McIlvenna broke away to dribble the ball over the line for a yet again another fine individual try. The conversion was missed. The game ended 12-5 to the mighty threes.

A mighty relieved Johnson said after the game:

"The winter lay off has really taken us out of our stride, hopefully we can be back on form next week when we play the league leaders Grosvenor.

"We need to be at our best for that game. Play like we have out there today and we will certainly come out second best.

"Nevertheless, another gutsy performance, and I would say we just about deserved the win today. Well done to David and Willy for two well executed individual tries.'

"Although not a vintage performance, the game did contain some comical moments.

"Reid's jaw dropping catch under the high ball in the first half, was replaced in the second period of play, with a similar ball being fumbled like a hot potato! Of course his team mates were completely sympathetic, a plastic glass was ordered for his pint after the game, just in case he dropped it!"