Ards 2nds welcomed PSNI 2s to Hamilton Park on a glorious Saturday afternoon, hoping to continue their recent good form. Ards had the luxury of naming a strong squad, with Keir Edgar, Kristian Wallis McKimm and Oren Kisby returning and Taylor Nutt starting in the centre for his first appearance since early season. Ards were under no illusion of what PSNI would bring, given that they scraped past PSNI earlier in the season in a challenging encounter.

Ards started quickly, putting the ball through the hands. Strong running from prop Jonah Mitchell created a 2 on 1 and passed to Aaron Faloon for the first try of the afternoon. Converted 7-0.

Ards were guilty of being sloppy from the restart, giving PSNI field position. A dropped pass from PSNI in the Ards 22 allowed Adam Coulter to race in unopposed for a try. Converted. 14-0.

A few penalties from Ards allowed PSNI field position and they scored a deserved try from a maul. Converted. 14-7.

Ards began to put the ball through the phases, with hard running from Mitchell, Matthew Patton and Kisby. Quick play from the ruck allowed outhalf Paul Cox to score. Converted. 21-7.

From the restart, PSNI got more into the game with hard running and caused problems at the breakdown, leading to a kickable penalty. 21-10. HT.

PSNI started the second half with more ambition than Ards and a turnover from PSNI after sloppy play from Ards allowed PSNI to put the ball through their backline to score a try. Converted. 21-17.

Ards hadn’t started the second half well, but the Ards defence caused PSNI problems, with the Ards forward getting through alot of work defensively and getting turnover penalties when PSNI were in threatening attacking position.  Strong running from Shields, Kisby, Chivers and Gray in midfield and pace out wide from Matt McFarland, Taylor Nutt and Adam Coulter got Ards into decent field position. From a 5m scrum, Taylor Nutt scored off a crash ball off the scrum. Unconverted. 26-17.

A few off the ball incidents following a lineout threatened to spill over with both captains being summoned for a word with the referee.

Ards started to play through the phases, and great hands in the backline threatened a score, pressure from Coulter, Callum O’Hanlon and Matt McFarland pinned PSNI in their own half.

A turnover from a PSNI lineout gave the Ards backs room to move out wide with Aaron Faloon beating 4 defenders and reaching out to score to put the game out of reach. Unconverted. Final sore 31-17.