High-scoring opening to season for Braidmen

The students raced into a 13-0 lead before back rower Mathew Rea scored with a push over try.

Rory Drysdale kicked the extra points but Queens added to their points with two more tries to make the score 7-25.

A Drysdale penalty reduced the deficit before summer signing Michael Entwhistle crossed the chalk line for a try.

Rory Drysdale made no mistake with the conversion but Queen’s scored another try just before the end of the half to take the half time score to 17-30.

Ballymena started the second half strongly and their hard work paid off when they reduced the gap through a well worked try.

After 55 minutes, the points deficit was just one when scrum half Glen Bailie raced under the posts to score. Drysdale added the extras, 29-30.

The momentum was now with Ballymena and it wasn’t long before they took the lead for the first time in this match. This time fullback John Nichol scored and the in form Drysdale added the conversion to make the score 36-30, which became 39-30 after anither Drysdale penalty.

With 15 minutes left Queens got back on the scoreboard with a converted try but Ballymena responded when Mathew Rea sucked in the defender after a line out before popping the ball to prop Jarrad Bowes who ran in to score his first senior try. Drysdale again converted to make it 46-37.

Queen’s rallied and scored another converted try to bring the total points scored in the match to 90.

Ballymena Adrian Kirkpatrick, James Taggart, George Hargy, Mark Foster, David Whann, Connor Smyth, Shay McIntosh, Mathew Rea, David O’Harra, Rory Drysdale, Callum Patterson, Darrell Montgomery, Alan Smyth, John Nichol, subs Andrew Ferguson, Jarrod Bowes, Michael Entwhistle, Mike McKeever, Jordan Foster