This talented young side can score tries at will but because they are largely U14 and struggle at times to defend against bigger opponents, Jimmy McTeggart and Andy Hunter have worked hard to add some physicality to the side and Saturday’s game saw the boys in red complete a successful “shut out “against home team Portadown.
Thomas Flemming and Gareth Smyth started in a new look back 3 and they were rock solid from the beginning. Stefan Pollin and Jordan Robinson were included in the pack and made a big impression in the early phases of play.
Portadown have a massive backline and they sorely tested Carrick in the first 15 minutes but the defense was on fire and John Turner for the second week running applied more than his fair share of rib crunching tackles.
Eventually Carrick secured possession of their own and the very impressive Neil Beggs blasted through several tackles to score for Wallace to add the points.
The very next play deserved Television coverage as Portadown restarted long and Conor Cambridge caught cleanly and threw a long spiralling pass to half back partner Sam Wallace. Wallace weaved through 3 defenders and out flanked the Portadown left wing and sprinted 80 metres to score a try which was applauded with delight by home and away supporters alike.
Jamie Craig and John Turner shared long runs before eventually skipper Jake Porter broke free and strode between the posts for Wallace to convert.
Half Time Portadown 0 19 Carrickfergus
Jamie McCracken , Jake Gardner and Dan McBurney provided fresh legs in part two and immediately leant a keen edge to the game. John Stewart had a few useful carries of the ball, aided and abetted by the lively Corey Kelly and his front row partner Glenn Cunningham. Cody Surgeoner went on to the blind side and from his clever dart forward Beggs again out muscled the home team to score his second of the game. Portadown found it well nigh impossible to make progress and a massive feature of the game was Carricks’s torrid defence lead by Callum Wilson who had a point to prove after his game in the reverse fixture. Coach Dickson asked for grit in defence and Wilson provided a large chunk of it. Portadown’s only reward was a long range penalty before Jake Porter scored his second try of the game at the death. Wallace converted
Full Time Portadown 3 31 Carrickfergus
This is the seventh time this season that Carrick have score 5 or more tries but this game was also about defence and Callum Wilson was a shining light in this category. Next up Derry away in 2 weeks.
