Winning run comes to end

With a number of key players missing and others playing out of position the home team started the brighter with half pairing Joshua Abraham and Jack Carson prominent and the back row of William Hamilton, Gareth Gardiner and Jon Woods and prop Conor Foster prominent in defence.

After a series of rucks near the home team’s line and some loose tackling, Ballymena took the lead mid way through the first half. The try was unconverted.

The home team came storming back and great passing move involving Ryan Armstrong, Gareth Gardiner, Jon Woods, Theo Dixon and Ben Davidson saw Ben Davidson go over in the corner to level the scores. Ballymena retook the lead with a try following a fine backline move, which again was unconverted. The home team levelled things up with a great individual try from Jack Maxwell chasing up on a well placed Jack Carson kick, this was also not converted. With the last move of the match, Ballymena scored their thread try of morning from a scrum near the home team line.

With a number of changes at half time, the Tigers started the second half brightly. Good work from the Ben hunter, Daniel Hannon, Adam Creggan and Tom Lavery saw Jay Martin hauled into touch just short of the Ballymena line. The scores were levelled after ten minutes of the second half when from a scrum on the half way line, No.8 Gareth Gardiner picked and outsprinted the visitors cover defence to score under posts. The conversion was duly made by Jack Maxwell.

Thereafter the exchanges very even with Jason Hagger, Jack Dunn and Matthew McConaghy of the home team prominent. Two late converted scores for the visitors gave the final scoreline a lob sided look.