Thirds let their lead slip

Ards Thirds 21

Bann Fourths 8

WHEN the final whistle blew on the adjacent pitch to signal a win for Bann’s AIL side over Ards Firsts, it looked as if Bann’s Fourth XV were going to make it a double success.

At that stage they held a slender 7-8 lead over Ards Thirds with just four minutes left. Then Ards pounced on a dropped pass to score under the posts, adding the conversion to go 14-8 in front.

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Bann were unable to re-gain possession from the re-start and the home side added a third converted try with the last play of the game to add to Bann’s misery.

Ross Mulholland’s early penalty had given Bann they lead as they confined Ards largely to their own territory in the first half. On a rare incursion into the opposition half Ards scored a converted try to take a 7-3 lead into the break.

Mulholland was doing his best to mark a first outing in the same team with brother Craig and father Leslie with a win, sprinting home for an unconverted try early in the second half to edge his side ahead.

But the bigger Ards pack was more at home in the heavy underfoot conditions and ultimately the weight differential told.