Ballymoney Chronicle - Sports - Another two valuable points secured

Sports

Another two valuable points secured

Thursday, 21 January 2010

ON Saturday Ballymoney Fourth XV entertained Omagh Fours in the North Minor League section and earned a hard fought victory 29 - 7 to gain two more valuable league points to cement their position at the top of the league.
After an extended Christmas break due to the arctic like weather it was no surprise that both teams were a little rusty and the earlier passages of play demonstrated this with no pattern or cohesion to any facet of play.
However as the half did progress the home side slowly began to get into their stride with both backs and forwards driving hard at the opposition defence. After a number of surges from the home forwards with R. Millar being prevalent the ball was quickly recycled and Gwayne Foster exchanged passes with Aidy White to touch down the opening try underneath the posts. The J.T. Autos sponsored Fours now upped the tempo and from a lineout near the visitors' line the forwards drove the maul over with A. Agnew getting the touch down and J. Trainor adding the difficult conversion.
With a 14 point lead the home side seemed to take the foot off the pedal or maybe it was the lack of game time and this allowed Omagh to come into the game and they were rewarded with a harshly adjudged penalty try for a high tackle on the vistors' winger as he was attempting to score wideout.
This left the score at 14-7 at halftime and the homeside turned round to play with the slight wind advantage in the second period.
The Fours set out their intention early on and laid siege to the visitors' line.
This pressure was eventuall rewarded with a penalty decision from an infringement at a ruck in front of the posts which Jarvis duly converted.
The home forwards were now dictating the tempo of the game and after a number of phases of play G. Foster scored a fine individual try after a searing break in the middle of the field and showing his pace to score under the posts.
Then in what would have been the try of the game the Fours forwards and backs combined to inter exchange passes before the ball was swiftly moved out the back line to Aidey White who made a clean beak to the visitors tryline and in his effort to make the conversion easier he was ambling towards the posts when the visitors number 8 sneaked up behind and managed to dislodge the ball and prevent the try. Aidey we believe is still in the Xmas pantomime season as he did not believe the call "Look Out!!! There's Someone Behind You."