After 6 weeks without a match Armoy were keen to keep this seasons excellent run of form and their 100% record intact, a feat that they managed but not without a great deal of hard work and the odd piece of good fortune.
Right from the start the Armoy pack took the game to an Academy pack who seemed a little stunned by Armoy’s aggressive approach. After 5 minutes constant forward pressure Armoy no 8 Stevie Bartlett received the ball at pace from the base of a ruck to crash over from 4 yards for the first score of the match. The conversion was succesfully taken by Jarvis Traynor, a theme that was to continue all afternoon.
After this Academy raised their efforts and secured a good spell of possesion which was well thwarted by a determined Armoy defence. After 20 minutes Armoy added another score and again it was from the forwards. Second row Richard Gardner picked and drove and forced his way into the Academy in goal area where he was held up on his feet by some resolute Academy defenders. However Armoy tighthead Alan Dempster was on hand to rip the ball from the maul and fall down with the grace that only a prop can.
After 35 minutes a good attacking spell from Academy paid dividends for them. After an untidy Armoy scrum the ball spilled out of the back of the scrum and was fumbled by the Armoy out half on his own goal line and was collected by a very grateful Academy wing forward to dive over the line for a simple score. The resultant conversion was unsuccessful.
Half time 14-5
From their own kick off the Academy pack asserted themselves and took the game to Armoy in the same manner that had been done to them 40 minutes previously. For all their efforts the only score they could conjure was a well taken penalty from 35 meters out after constant offside play from the Armoy no7.
Again from the kick off Academy pushed forward but were unable to breach the Armoy defence.Each team then had spells of possesion with basic handling errors on both sides ending any flowing moves.
It was a handling error which handed Armoy their 3rd try. A back line move which had reached the Armoy 22 was spilled by the Academy outside centre and was brilliantly picked up by Armoy winger Richard(Slick)Bartlett to race away from some desparate Academy pursuers and run in an easy score. Before the conversion there was a bit of a scuffle in the Academy goal area which resulted in the Academy inside centre being given a yellow card.
With Academy now down a man Armoy used this advantage to and were able to add another try.From a ruck the ball was given to Armoy no.10 who was held up in a maul but freed the ball to Stevie Bartlett who broke from the maul and passed to Armoy winger Gordon McConaghie to run over from 20 meters for the score. More Armoy pressure from the kick off resulted in a penalty which was slotted over by the in form Traynor.
With Academy now back to full strength they rallied in the last 8 minutes and with Armoy now down a player after No7 Gareth Christie was yellow carded for being offside again they managed a consultion score after some great forward pressure they were awarded a penalty try after Stevie Bartlett was yellow carded for what is still an unknown misdemenour.The conversion was successful and was the last kick of the match.
Final score Armoy 31 Academy 3 15
