After a short hiatus, Ards 2nds returned to league action against Cooke 2nds at Hamilton Park. The 2nds were under no illusion what the opposition will bring, with the Forster Cup fixture before Christmas resulting in a convincing win for Cooke. After solid performances in recent games with no reward, the 2nds were keen to lay down a marker for the remainder of the season.

With a big game for the 1st XV also at Hamilton Park, Coach Simon Hamilton had a strong lineup named. Starts in the forwards for Hayden Hamilton, Neil Horner & Ryan Gawley, with the backline showing starts for Ethan Barrett, Adam Barnes & Michael Taylor starting at full back. A solid centre partnership of Adam & Ben Cooke started this one, with Ben captaining the side. Davy Reid, Gary Presho & Ross Hughes provided impact from the bench this week.

Ards received the kick off, playing towards Scrabo in the first half on a soft playing surface. Cooke started the game well keeping possession well, but unable to penetrate the Ards defensive line, with Gawley, Hamilton, Horner & Nathan Bell prominent. A series of penalties conceded by Cooke saw Ards progress upfield. With the Ards lineout functioning well through Josh Browne and Neil Horner began to see results making ground through the maul. From a well constructed and dominant maul, Aaron Bittles burrowed over beating numerous defenders from short distance. Unconverted. 5-0.

From the resulting kick off, Ards trying to play out with phase play, initially going well until a breakdown penalty gave the opportunity for Cooke to convert a penalty from distance. 3-5.
Ards were beginning to look comfortable putting multiple phases together, with Hamilton, McClure, Bittles and Ryan Copeland making dents in the Cooke defensive line, with fly half Barrett releasing the Cooke brothers in midfield. Cooke conceding multiple penalties and saw Ards in the opposition red zone. With Nathan Bell hitting Josh Browne in the lineout set up a maul. A quick tap and go saw Hayden Hamilton score from short range. Converted by scrum half Thompson. 12-3.
From an Ards indiscretion from the kickoff Cooke failed to find touch from a penalty which saw the back three of Coulter, Barnes and Michael Taylor utilise their running capabilities and made good ground. Quick ball from scrum half Thompson saw Ards dominate the carries, with Gawley, Hamilton, Horner and Nathan Bell prominent saw Cooke concede penalties, which saw the referee brandish a yellow card after a team warning. Good phase play saw Ards in the Cooke 22. Pick and go phases from a tap penalty saw Hayden Hamilton go over for his second try. Unconverted. 17-3.

Ards had the wind in their sails, with half backs Thompson and Barrett getting the backline going with only good Cooke defence preventing further damage. Good link up play from Hamilton , Gawley and Bell in midfield saw the Cooke defence stretched. Quick hands from Barrett and Taylor and Ben Cooke saw Adam Cooke score out wide for a well taken score. Converted. 24-3 HT.

With the job only half done, Ards dominance needed to continue into the second half. Ards started where they left off, Ards won a penalty at the breakdown and kicked to the corner. A messy lineout saw Ards retrieve the ball, dominant phases from the Ards forwards set the backline in action, with a flowing backs move saw Adam Barnes using his pace to beat 2 defenders and score in the corner. Unconverted. 29-3.

Straight from the kick off, Cooke came into the game. Off a lineout, Cooke utilised their pick and go game in the forwards for a converted score. 29-10.
With Cooke in the ascendancy, their backline began to look dangerous when their forwards came into the game. A seemingly dominant tackle saw the ball knocked on off a Ards player, which saw the referee determine it a yellow card to the bemusement of both teams and spectators. Quick ball saw Ards concede a penalty which the referee gave another yellow card to an Ards player. During the 10 minutes with 2 less players saw Cooke score 14 unanswered points. 29- 24.
With Ards unable to stop the Cooke dominance, only desperate defence from Gawley, Coulter, Taylor and Barnes prevented more damage during the 10 minute with 13 players. Cooke used their wingers and now rampaging centre to cause Ards problems with the final two scores being utilised out in the wide channels after a mixture of tired Ards defence and dominant Cooke phases. Both wide scores from Cooke to finish the game off converted from out wide from their scrum half.
FT

Ards 2s 29. Cooke 2s 38.

A tale of two halves today for Ards, with the first half showing how dangerous in attack they can be, with the second half showing more improvement required to defend for the whole 80mins.
Next week, the 2s travel to Larne 2s with a 2:30pm kick off.

Tries: Hayden Hamilton (2), Aaron Bittles, Adam Cooke, Adam Barnes

Conversions: B Thompson x2