Ards 1sts 5 v Ballynahinch 2nds 60

Ards welcomed the newly crowned Junior Cup winners Ballynahinch 2nds to Hamilton Park last Saturday for a Conference League match, Hinch 2nds are unbeaten thus far this season and showed why their club is the strongest in club rugby in Ulster.

Ards 1sts haven't had a game in four weeks and in this time have lost Head Coach Dave Irwin due to work and family commitments, Assistant Coaches Scott Young and John West have taken on the mantle and numbers at training have been positive.

Saturday was an opportunity for the players to get some match time and physical contact, Ards welcomed back Chris McClure at scrum half for his first match of the season and a first fifteen debut was given winger Matt Warnock.

Ards had an opportunity to take an early lead after 2mins when Hinch were penalised for not releasing, Ards outhalf Paul Cox's penalty attempt drifted wide.

The first scrum of the match saw Ards prop Paddy Bond penalised, Hinch showed their intent and kicked the penalty into the corner; good defence by Ards saw them turn over the ball and clear their line.

In the 7th minute Hinch kicked a penalty into the corner and from the resultant lineout caught and drove over the Ards line, the conversion was missed. Ards 0 v Hinch 5

In the 15th minute Hinch attacked from deep initial good mid-field defence by flanker Chris Hamilton and centres Scott Young and Taylor thwarted this Hinch attack, but the ball was quickly recycled and the Hinch full back run through to score under the Ards posts. Ards 0 v Hinch 12

Hinch quickly extended the lead when their left winger ran in from halfway, reacting well to a turnover at an Ards scrum. Ards 0 v Hinch 17

Ards then woke up and started to take the game to Hinch, strong carries by forwards Stevie Adams, Danny Patton and Matt Kane saw Ards move into the Hinch 22, Hinch defended well and took play back into the Ards half.

In the 22nd minute Ards were penalised at a scrum and Hinch again kicked into the corner, action replay then followed with Hinch catching and driving over the Ards line for a converted try. Ards 0 v Hinch 24.

In the 33rd minute a loose box kick by Ards saw it fielded well and moved quickly by Hinch, slack first up tackling saw a Hinch linebreak and the Hinch player to score under the Ards posts, the conversion was successful. Half time: Ards 0 v Hinch 31

Hinch kicked off the second half and immediately regained possssion following an Ards knock on, from the resultant scrum Hinch moved the ball, the Ards defence was good, but the Hinch offloading was better and in the 43rd minute their right winger scored in the corner. Ards 0 v Hinch 36

Hinch scored a further 3 tries and a conversion before Ards scored a well deserved consolation try through flanker Burekama in the 70th minute; this try followed a quickly taken penalty by Ards fullback and captain Mark Banford, he offloaded to centre Young who was tackled just short of the Hinch line, Ards quickly recycled the ball and moved it wide for flanker Burekama to run in, the conversion was missed. Ards 5 v Hinch 55

Ards attacked for the remainder of the game and were unfortunate not to score again, the last play of the game saw a breakaway try from his own half by the Hinch winger, the conversion was missed. Ards 5 v Hinch 60

A tough day at the office for the Ards team, but they will not come up against many teams stronger than this Hinch 2nd XV who wouldn't look out of place as a 1st XV at any other club.