Cooke 2nds suffer another defeat at the hands of a very strong Ballynahinch side.
Cooke 2nds suffered another defeat at the hands of a very strong Ballynahinch side.The Cooke pack was depleted due to the puzzling non availability of a large number of players.This meant that 2 backs had to play in the back row and the ever willing Simpson put his body on the line in the 2nd row.Playing at Ballynahinch on a day when their 2nds had no game was not a good idea with them fielding a huge pack.
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Not surprisingly the match started with the away team under pressure and after 5 minutes Hinch created an overlap on the right for the winger to score.Cooke defended staunchly for the next 15 minutes until the home team had a lineout close to the line from which they used their massive weight advantage to drive over.The try was converted and added to after 26 minutes from their backs moving the ball wide and then an inside pass. 
Cooke began to get back into the game and spurned 2 kickable penalty chances to take 5 metre lineouts which unfotunately did not result in scores.The half time whistle came with the score at 17-0.
Half Time Ballynahinch 3rds 17 Cooke 2nds 0
Cooke now had the wind at their backs and played much better rugby pulling the tiring home pack around the pitch.Ballynahinch did themselves no favours with their continual back chat to the referee who awarded several penalties against them.Cooke’s persistence paid off in the 60th minute when Elliott made a break and sent Adair under the posts with a perfectly timed pass.Murphy converted.10 minutes later Cooke carried over and from the 5 metre scrum Hinch scored a straight forward try.They completed the scoring soon afterwards with a try from 2nd row Gunston who was one of the influential players on their all conquering 2nds of last season.
This was a fine effort from the Cooke players who took the pitch but we must field stronger packs if we are to make any impression on what is a tough league.
Final Score Ballynahinch 3rds 27 Cooke 2nds 7
