Ards in their last home game of the season started brightly keeping possession from the kick-off, working the phases with strong carries from Captain Chris Beacom, Adam McKee and Ryan Yates into the visitors 22.

Pressure on the Instonians try line resulted in a Ards 5 metre scrum (the scrum was going to be an area of concern for the coaches due to injuries and the non-availability of recognised front row players), unfortunately Ards couldn't build from this excellent start and possession was lost.

The Ards line out was working well with Neil Young giving scrum half Gareth Wilson clean ball off the top to feed flyhalf George Shaw who began to control the game.

When Instonians did break out of their half,Ards center Neil Beggs made a crushing tackle which unfortunately saw both players leaving the pitch with concussion.; this was a big blow to the Ards game plan as Beggs was beginning to make the hard yards in midfield, early reports is that Neil should make a full recovery and Ards wish the same for the Instonians winger.

Ards kept up the pressure and took a deserve lead from a well stuck penalty from Shaw this was followed by a other penalty attempt that just drifted wide.

Halftime Ards 3 - Instonians 0

Instonians were playing the conditions well, keeping the home team pegged back with good technical kicking but the Ards defensive line held solid with Chris McClure and Joel Adams making telling tackles. Jack Coulter,Yates and Beacom were a force at the breakdown stopping quick ball and making turn overs.

From a turn over on half way Beacom made a break, McClure was up in support and delivered a well timed pass for Ben Laird to touch down, Shaw kicked a fine conversion. Ards 10 - Instonians 3

Instonians' kicking game paid off with a kick behind the Ards defence which was well followed up by the Instonians winger to touch down near the posts for a converted try. Ards 10 - Instsonians 10

Instonians upped the tempo in the Ards 22 and used their dominance in the scrum to good effect, however, after a series of scrums on the Ards 5mt line Ards turned over the ball with Laird getting the better of his opponent a formative ex Instonians 1st XV prop.

Ben Smith had another excellent game at number 8 taking pressure of the Ards defence with strong carries.
The intensity of the game boiled over with a player from either side sent to the bin for the last 10 mins. The scores remained tied until 5 mins to go when Instonians were awarded a penalty which just made it over the upright. Ards 10 - Instonians 13

There was still time for Ards and a smart kick ahead from winger Adam Coulter left a chase for the line between the two wingers but the referee penalised Coulter for pushing, a decision which could have went either way.

Ards paid the penalty for not translating their superiority in the 1st half into points in the end a close match resulted as had been predicted given the early meetings.

ARDS 2nds - D.CHIVERS, C.BEACOM, B.LAIRD, N.YOUNG, A.MCKEE, R.YATES, B.SMITH, J COULTER, G.WILSON, G SHAW, A.DODD, N BEGGS, C.MCCLURE, A COULTER, J ADAMS