It was a much changed Ards team that made the journey to University of Coleraine in the 1st round of the Junior Cup on Saturday.
It was always going to be a hard task to get a result against the Qualifying 1 side UUC.
Ards had the 3 Dodd brothers starting Davy and Willie in the frontrow and Adrian at openside flanker.
Ards debuts were given to George Shaw, Bale Tabaiwala and Lewis Bean. Conditions were perfect for open rugby on the student’s wide pitch, as the Ardsmen were to find out in the second half.
Ards lost Taylor Ferguson in the warm up with Johnny Carmichael now starting at outside centre and it was a disjointed team that took to the field.
Ards failed to secure the kick off and gave away a penalty, putting themselves under early pressure.
Ards relieved this pressure but the kick to touch was missed and the students were not to be denied this time and gathered the kick and scored an unconverted try in the corner.
However this did not deter the Ardsmen as they upped the tempo of the game for the next 20mins of play and with some thundering runs from centres Beggs, Carmichael and forwards Bean and Tabaiwala Ards fought back with vengeance and were rewarded with a successful penalty from Shaw.
The Ards frontrow had the students scrum in disarray and a turnover by hooker Conran Stewart sent No8 Lewis Bean on a storming run which was just held up on the line.
The traffic was all one way now with the Ards forwards making good ground; play was kept deep in the UUC half but unfortunately the final pass wasn't there.
The students broke out of defence and the ball was moved wide at pace to the impressive UUC winger who ran in for an unconverted try.
Ards kept play tight in the forwards and had the students under pressure gaining a penalty and this time Shaw sent the ball for touch in the corner. The resulting lineout was won by Adrian Dodd and the forwards recycled the ball well; but they couldn't find their way through a determined UUC defence.
The UUC flanker was yellow carded for a tip tackle but Ards failed to take advantage of this and Ards were made to drop their rampant No8 Bean in the scrum.
Half time: Ards 3 – UUC 10
Ards started the second half as they did the first conceding a early converted try.
The next score was 20mins into the half, when the students took a quick lineout in the Ards 22 and ran in a try.
The physical nature that Ards brought to the game in the first half began to take its toll on the players and the Ardsmen couldn't keep up with the fast pace of the game.
Fitness and being well drilled kept the students well on top for the rest of the game running in 6 tries in the last 15 mins.
Ards 2nds:
Gareth Wilson, Adam Coulter, Jonny Carmichael, Neil Beggs, Stevie McKee, George Shaw, Charlie Stewart, Lewis Bean, Adrian Dodd, David Chivers, Trevor Jordan, Bale Tabaiwala, Willie Dodd, Conran Stewart, Davy Dodd. Sub – Joel Adams