Abbey Insurance sponsored Ulster University Jordanstown secured their top position in the “Students Sport Ireland” League with a five try win against Belfast Met.
UUJ travelled to Castlereagh to play a well drilled Belfast Met side who have being making their name known in the rugby world with their Academy and success in rugby union as well as rugby league in the summer months.
The home team started well moving the ball about the park and avoiding contact where possible but the dominant UUJ pack were soon to show their “rusty” skills driving over the home side line on three occasions in the first 10 minutes but were held up on all occasions by Mets excellent defence and use of the “choke Tackle”.
The game then moved about the centre of the pitch until on the 23rd minute, UUJ gave a penaltiy away within kicking range and Belfast Met slotted the ball between the posts, 3-0.
This woke the visitors up and with in 4 minutes their outside centre, Jamie Millar scored close to the posts converted by Ross Bryans, 3-7.
On the restart UUJ chased up well and held the Met side deep in their half but it was not long before their offloading game paid up and a break out wide saw them going in for a converted try, 10-7.
The closing of the half was to see UUJ have the last say, they dominated possession working their way into the Mets half and a good forwards/backs move saw Ross Bryans score out wide, conversion missed,10-12.
The second half with UUJ upping the pressure and it was shortly to provide a simple try with Ross Bryans delivering a perfect pass to UUJ’s 7, Matthew Rodgers who broke through the Mets defence to score an unconverted try,10-17.
This try was soon followed by a break by Jamie Millar who passed to the supporting Bryans who scored a try under the posts, Bryans converted, 10- 22.
UUJ seemed to relax and the quick thinking Met side attacked again using offloading in the tackle well, a chip through caught the UUJ defence napping and the Met scored a converted try, 17-22.
This attack still didn’t waken the visitors up and it was not long before the Met side had created an easy unconverted try, 22-22.
The visitors then took control of play and keep the home side deep in their own half, a turn over ball released the ball to the Met defence but UUJ pressure forced their outhalf to put in a clearance kick which was charged down by second row Brendan Ferguson, the ball went back into the in goal area and the quick chasing David McClelland ran through and touched down for the try converted by Bryans, 22-29.
Again UUJ switched off and the last word was to be by the home side who scored an unconverted try, 27-29 final score.
A very close and entertaining game, but UUJ never looked short of ways to seal the game off. A bit of rustiness by UUJ after the Christmas Holidays and January Exams saw them let in a few tries that shouldn’t maybe have happened. Belfast Met showed great skills and maybe more importantly never lay down, they countered every attack and deserved their scores.
UUJ play Magee Campus this Wednesday at Jordanstown in a friendly game and the following Wednesday they play QUB/Strand at Jordanstown in the league both 230pm ko’s
UUJ Team
1. Jordan Elliot (Portadown)
2. Ross Harkin (City of Derry)
3. Troy Wilson (Academy)
4. James Meggerity (Instonians)
5. Brendan Ferguson (Limavady)
6. Curtis Badger ( Academy)
7. Mathew Rodgers ( Dungannon)
8. Phelium Treanor (Rainey OB)
9. Conor Spence (Ballymena)
10.Ross Bryans (Academy)
11. Jamie Wilson (No Club)
12. David McClelland (Randalstown)
13.Jamie Millar (Limavady)
14. Lloyd Johnston (No Club)
15. Jason Mackey (Dromore)
16. Jamie Millar (Limavady)
17. Peter Hughes (No Club)
18. Rory Carson (No Club)
19. Alisdar Henderson (No Club)
20, John Joe Magee (No Club)
21, Lloyd Crawford (No Club)
22.
Coach, Mark Henderson
