Portadown kept their unbeaten season on track with a 36-15 win over UUC at the University grounds. It as the first time the two sides had ever met in competition though the Visitors were keen to put that to the back of their mind in search of another 5 points.
Playing with a slight breeze behind them the visitors were quick to put the uni under pressure following some great play involving backs and forwards. Veteran prop Neilly says keen to impress on the return to his alma mater and was at the centre of several early drives for the line. The visitors scrum and line out was dominant from an early stage and the students were lucky not concede after some serious pressure at set piece. However it was the Ports out half Chis Cousens who registered the first score exploiting the smallest of gaps and to zip through under the posts from 20 meters. David Whitten added the extras to make it 7-0. It didn’t take long for the next score with UUC left winger Calum Rowden finished an excellent individual effort from all of 60 meters. The visitors picked up where they left off camped in the UUC 22. The students continued to hold out conceding only a further 3 points, a David Whitten penalty, before half time. HT UUC 5 – Portadown 10.
The Ports extended their lead immediately after half time. Again it says Cousens who registered the points, pouncing on a fumbled box kick to run in from 40 meters. Whitten converted to extend the score to 17-5. The Portadown scrum then began to turn the screw. Driving the home team off the ball on their own put in, No. 8 Lamb picked up and fed centre Jonny Holden who showed quick feet to evade 2 tacklers to scamper over beside the posts. Whitten added the extras for a 24-5 lead. The visitors where now on the charge, No.8 Stuart Lamb made a great break and found his back row colleague Gareth McCoy on hand to take a pass and finish a great move. Whitten again added the extras to make the lead 31-5. The students however weren’t in mind to lie down taking every opportunity to speed the game up and were rewarded for some fantastic play when winger Sam Hall went over in the corner. The students again took the game to the league leaders with Hall again causing havoc before offloading to a teammate to score in the corner. The extras were missed leaving the score at 31-15. The Ports regained control of the game putting the pressure on the home team and after a series of scrums, prop Mark Henderson was driven over from a well executed maul. Whitten missed his first kick of the day to leaving the final score 36-15. A solid performance from the visitors keeps them top of the league while UUC can take heart from some fantastic play.
