Ballymena v Harlequins or ‘Beauty and the Beast ‘
Whoever said that size doesn’t matter clearly has never watched Rugby Union Football, because it was superior bulk that finally saw Harlequins secure the victory at Eaton Park on Saturday. Conditions were perfect – a dry day, not cold and with no wind to make life difficult, and it has to be said that it was this young Ballymena side who not only had the ambition, but also the skill to run the ball.
For the first ten minutes Ballymena scarcely laid hands on the ball, but they did what they have been doing all season, defending their line as if their very lives depended on it so the pressure that Harlequins had been trying to exert yielded no results, and the home side began to work their way up the field, always making ground with ball in hand. On seventeen minutes a Quins infringement on the ground gave Ballymena a penalty which they elected to put into the corner. From the lineout the ball broke to Pritchard who seemed to muscle his way through the entire opposition pack for a fine individual try, converted by Luke Marshall to put his side into the lead by seven points to nil. Luke, playing mostly at 10,but occasionally at 12, had an outstanding day controlling the game, shredding the Quins defence and bringing his outside backs into the game.
However, Quins were mounting the occasional attack and on 25 minutes, David Creighton came into the line at speed to score a fine try which Porter, who had an indifferent day with the boot, failed to convert. For the last ten minutes of the first held they again exerted pressure, but managed to mess up two gilt edged chances by sloppy handling, so the first half ended with Ballymena leading by 7-5.
Ten minutes into the second half Ballymena were awarded a penalty and Marshall opted to kick for goal. He missed, but from the restart the ball came back to him and he made a great break down the left before releasing to Alistair Frazer who crossed for Ballymena’s second try, again converted by Marshall to put Ballymena ahead by 14-5. The superior bulk of the Quins pack was now beginning to tell, and they began to assert their dominance in the set scrums, while their lineout had been operating very effectively all day. So, when they got a penalty in the Ballymena half they elected to kick for the corner and while the inevitable catch and drive did not initially yield a try,they were awarded a five metre scrum. Ballymena could not withstand the pressure coming from the Quins scrum, and when it collapsed for the second time, the referee trotted between the posts, arm in the air, to signal the penalty try. Porter made no mistake with the conversion, so Ballymena’s lead was reduced to two points at 14-12.
Marshall opened up the gap again with a well struck penalty, but the five point lead was looking less and less secure as the bigger Quins pack exerted control. A penalty to the corner looked as if it would seal Ballymena’s fate, but when they were awarded a free kick for early engagement by Quins they seemed to have escaped. The referee had other ideas and awarded a second penalty to Quins who repeated the exercise, driving over to level the scores at 17 all. Porter converted to give Quins a victory which they scarcely deserved, gained by virtue of superior bulk.
This was a young Ballymena side who acquitted themselves excellently throughout the game. The back row of Pritchard, Hackney and the ever improving Mulholland was prominent in attack and defence, the front five stood up well to the physical challenge and the backs showed real enterprise and flair, with Alistair Frazer also showing real pace and penetration and Ricky Andrew a threat from full back. With Ballymena now lying sixth in the table, promotion seems a distant prospect, but as this team matures, it will surely come.
