The Black Knights continued their league campaign with a narrow 19-17 defeat by a young, fit and well organised Queens side.
Following on from their recent defeat by Malone the theme continued where once again while the pack dominated the set pieces the team were unable to capitalise on the majority of possession . It certainly didn’t help the Ards cause that they were missing some key backs .it should be confirmed at this stage however that contrary to rumours centre Gordy Mcbride’s non appearance had nothing to do with a to Bordeaux for the day. Apparently he was “golfing”!!
Having won the toss Ards captain Rab Irwin decided to kick off into a strong wind reasoning that the older ards forwards would need the wind in their backs in the second half. Queens immediately put Ards on the back foot and following some slick handling in their back line ,scored under the posts to put Ards 7 nil down in the first minute.
From kick off ,and following great tackling from Andy Crozier the Ards forwards dispossessed their younger opponents and drove into the Queens 22. Following a sustained period of catch and drive Keith mcilwaine crashed over for an unconverted try leaving the score 7- 5 after 20 mins
Once again however Queens retorted by spreading the ball wide and capitalised on the unfamiliarity of the ards backs .Spreading the balls to both wings, they outpaced the ards cover to score another converted try. 14-5 to Queens
On the stroke of half time however ards scored a well worked try when good work by andy todd and cyril stocker put young nial Mulholland away on the overlap inside his own half. Outpacing the queens cover he drew the fullback to put stocker into space. Cyril evaded the covering Queens defence and put young full back Adam Coulter in at the corner to score the try of the match. Once again ards missed the conversion to make it 14-10 at the break..
The second half started much like the first with Ards dominant in the set piece and Queens trying to spread the ball wide to tire the ards forwards , who now began to resemble the Ulster Covenant marchers heading home from Stormont .Captain Irwin’s Meterology skills had really let him down as the stong wind of the first half had disappeared. It was not long before Queens capitalised on the tiring ards forward and scored again , this time not converting to make it 19 10 ards.
Ards however rallied and and once again the forwards , led by patton and irwin drove for the line . queens stole the ball and put it into touch but from a quick lineout scrum half andy matchet fed mcilwaine who drew the Queens cover and popped to stocker to send him through close to the post. Ards converted to set up a nail biting finish at 19 17.
The ards forwards were now really in the ascendancy and from a rolling maul crashed over the try line again only to find that the referee was looking at another pile up. this was a refereeing mistake that would cause Ards the match
It was at this stage Ards Captain Rab Irwin, missing his normal debating partner Stephen Bell, decided that the Referee would be a good substitute and at the next queens lineout he started a trigonometrical discussion on the angle of the Queens hookers throws.Having no answer to Irwins skill as a seasoned debater the ref promptly produced a yellow card. Still pontificating , Irwin luckily missed a red card by moving quicker than he had all day and disappeared into the gathering crowd of curious academics .
With Ards Reduced to 14 men the game petered out and Queens held on to the win.
It was a dissapointting day for ards compounded by the injuries to winger Stevie gardiner and stand in outhalf Cyril Stocker. On the plus there was a great performance from nial Mulholland in his first game of rugby and from young flankers sam mcveagh and andrew bates who tried their hearts out.
Also with a larger number of young players on the team this week than normal there was plenty of shower gel,hair product and aftershave in the changing room and the team didn’t have to rely as usual on Gary Dempsey’s “Hi Karate” gift set given to him by his mum in 1987.
