After a dominant league campaign to date, Ards 3XV welcomed Malone 3XV to Hamilton park, in what was set to be by far the toughest game of the season to date.

With multiple unavailabilities due to injury and the Ireland match, a much changed 3XV rolled out against a strong Malone side.

From kick off, Ards were under immediate pressure from an energetic Malone side, who came flying out of the blocks to score an early try after an Ards mistake at kick off. 7-0

Ards were quick to strike back, scoring a try of their own 3 minutes later. From a scrum inside the opposition half, Ards ran a set play which seen No.8 Ryan Copeland pick and go. Making his way into the opposition 22, he found an offload to supporting Michael Taylor, who went around the last defender to score 15m from touch. A tough conversion was missed by Josh Colville. 5-7

For the remainder of the first half momentum ebbed and flowed between the sides, with the referee awarding multiple penalties to either side. Unfortunately for the home side, two of these were in scoring distance for Malone, who made the score 7-13, with an uncoverted try and a penalty from their out half.

At half time, a stern wake up call from Skipper Chivers & manager Stuart Stevenson inspired the Ards side to pull their act together. Some changes at the break seen the returning Lewis Gordon & Pete Croan introduced into the pack, with Ethan Barratt also coming into the game on the wing.

With the wind behind them, Ards deployed a kicking tactic, with Cox and Colville attempting to gain territory at any point possibly early in the half. A smart kick gave the away side a lineout in their own half, which was turned over in the air by Ross Copeland. Finding Joel Clarke from the lineout, Ards launched with carries from Gordon, Bell and Ward making dents in the defence of Malone. With play deep in the 22 Torin Ball picked and went, and stretched over the line to score for Ards. Another tough conversion was missed. 10-13

The whistle of the referee played a large part in the game, and some adjudged ill-discipline on the offside line, led to another opportunity for Malone to extend their lead with a penalty infront of the posts. 10-16

Ards continued to battle away with long periods of phase play, with breaks from Coulter & Lyttle contributing. A 50-22 from Colville gave Ards a brilliant attacking opportunity. With a considerably more dominant lineout & maul, Ards through Copeland & Croan marched forward at a rate of knots via a maul towards the Malone. With the ball secured at the back, 20 odd metres gained, a metre short of the line, a Malone player pulled the maul down while another entered from the side. Whilst Ards were appealing for a clear penalty try, the referee awarded a held up decision to the away side, giving them an easy exit.

Whilst this was frustrating, Ards did not give up hope, with big carries coming in again from the pack. A short line from centre Oren Kisby, found him crashing over the line for Ards 3 try. A conversion from the 5m line was struck by Colville to put Ards into the lead. 17-15

With minutes on the clock left, the home side knew that they needed to be clinical in their exit. After a clean take at the kick off by Chivers, Ards kicked upfield but failed to make touch. As Malone attacked the Ards half, an attempted interception by Joel Clarke was deemed a deliberate knock on by the referee who sent the scrum half to the sin bin. Before Clarke had even left the field of play & the referee had returned his card to his pocket, he allowed Malone to tap & go which out the Ards side under severe pressure. With time in the red and two phases later, Malone crossed the whitewash despite heroic efforts by multiple Ards defenders. 17-23 FT.

A tough pill to swallow but the Knights will march on. Ards 3XV now take an extended break until the return of the McCambley cup at the beginning of December.