Ballymoney 2s welcomed Dromore 2s to Kilraughts Road on Saturday. Both sides were near the top of the table last year, but have some catching up to do this season, so league points were very much in the eyes of both teams.

With Thomas Condell's late withdrawal, Zach Dunn moved to prop and Joel Heggarty returned at hooker. Andrew Stevenson in the second row and Matthew Bell in the centre came back into the side to add their experience, and Matthew Pollock returned at scrum half after missing the last few games. Out wide Andy Young and captain Adam Hodges continued their familiar partnership in midfield, supported by the pace of Pattison, McIlhagga, and Hart in the back three.

The match kicked off with both packs looking to maintain possession and play good aggressive rugby at the breakdown. The narrow pitch would reduce the attacking space for each backline, so a solid defence was the first order of the day. But for both sides, the small errors in handling and kick accuracy would be punished by long spells in their own half.

After a Dromore penalty opened the scoring, it was Ballymoney first to cross the line, with Andrew Stevenson powering over from short range after a midfield break by Bell. Pattison converted for a 7-3 lead. Dromore closed the gap straight from kick off as a botched set piece led to a penalty in midfield.

Bell was looking lively at this point, and scored next with an intercept - a delay in the Dromore passing out wide allowing him the chance to steal inside his man and take off for the posts. But shortly afterwards a blood injury removed him from play, and while he was being tended to, Dromore used the numerical advantage to score in the wide channel.

With Stuart Finney on to cover the wing, moving Zach McIlhagga to midfield, Ballymoney continued to press forward. And shortly before half time McIlhagga was in the right place to receive a deft tip on from Ryan Millar to score next to the posts. Pattison again converted for a 21-13 lead at half time.

The second half was a much tighter affair as both sides continued to nullify each other's pack, and without space to run wide the backs struggled to make meaningful gains. Dromore brought it back to 21-18 with a try in the corner, and the visitors were looking to complete the comeback.

With veterans Andrew Millar and Matthew Blair adding their experience off the bench, Ballymoney's pack started to get an advantage. Alfie Clyde and Harry Orr were finding yards after contact, and Heggarty and Dunn were getting their hits in defence to force turnovers.

And after a long spell of pressure in the Dromore half, Orr was held up over the line. A break up the left seemed odds-on to score shortly after, but again the defence stood firm. And Jack Hart was having a frustrating day from the right wing - some strong carries making plenty of yards, but a few chances just missing the timing when gaps opened up.

Eventually from a goal line drop out it was Blair who plucked the ball from the air like an NFL receiver, and set off towards the posts. A few hard carries followed from the pack, and it was Blair again who stepped up to rumble over the line from his trademark two yards out. With the conversion by Pattison again good, a 28-18 lead seemed like the match was slipping away from the visitors.

But Dromore did fight all the way to the end, a try near the posts bringing the score to 28-25, and started moving the ball into wide channels. A great cover tackle from Hodges stopped one dangerous attack on the right, and Finney was getting stuck in up the left wing to deny any big plays from the set pieces.

Pattison put a final seal on the result with a penalty from in front of the posts as the match was coming to an end - Pollock finally clearing to a relieved final whistle, with the score 31-25 to the home side. Captain Hodges described it as a dogged performance, and the kind of ugly win that is required for teams to do well in a competitive league campaign. But of course there is certainly work to do at training to concede fewer points and make the most of the opportunities that did arise.

With next week's fixture postponed, the twos have a week off, before a critical series of league and cup matches will come thick and fast for the next two months - there is certainly lots still to play for.

Ballymoney RFC

Kilraughts Road

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