v’s Ballyclare
Carrick lose...
After putting in probably their best performance of the season against Londonderry
YM a week earlier, it was back to earth for Carrick's 1st XV on Saturday 23 February
when they were beaten by 24 points to 15 by Ballyclare at The Cloughan. It was not
surprising that the Maxol-sponsored Carrick side could not match the previous week's
performance given that they were forced to make five changes of personnel and two
positional switches, including having to play a stand-in scrum-half. Lack of continuity
has been a problem all season for the coaches; with more or less the same squad of
players available each week, Carrick would surely have had a much better win-loss
record.
Against Ballyclare, Carrick were always just about in the match but were made to
pay in the end for not taking enough advantage of the strong breeze in their favour
in the first half. This was partly, if not mainly, down to the number of unforced
errors made in the first half hour or so. As a result, the visitors went in at half-time
trailling by 12 points to 10 and faced a difficult task in the second period in trying
to over-haul Ballyclare with the elements against them. Their task was not made any
easier when they conceded a try in the early stages of the second half but, after
this, they made the home side work hard to get attacking chances and, thanks to a
try on thirteen minutes, were in with a chance until the dying minutes when Ballyclare
made the game safe. That said, Carrick found it hard to establish any attacking platform
in their opponents' territory and were, for the most part, trying to attack from
deep. Generally, Carrick were comforable in the scrum, McCracken and Kincaid gave
Ballyclare a difficult time at the line-out and matters were fairly even in the loose
where open-side Richard Higgins was outstanding. However, it was the inability to
dominate territory and to retain posession for long enough to break down the home
side's defence which was Carrick's undoing.
Carrick kept Ballyclare penned in their own half for much of the early stages but
handling and other errors prevented them taking advantage until Karl Wilkinson landed
a penalty kick after thirteen minutes. However, Ballyclare hit back just four minutes
later when a Carrick mix-up on their own five metre scrum resulted in Ballyclare
being awarded the put-in and, after a back row move and a series of rucks they forced
their way over. The try was converted. For the next fifteen minutes, things were
fairly even- but with Carrick's error rate remaining too high- and it was the home
side who eventually extended their lead with another try on thirty-three minutes.
Their forwards took the ball into the Carrick half and then quick transfer along
their backs and a long pass to their winger allowed him to round the Carrick defence
to score. This try was not converted. Thanks to an excellent kick into the Ballyclare
22 by Karl Wilkinson in the closing minutes of the half, and a knock on by the home
side's full-back, Carrick were able to mount a series of attacks from the back of
scrums, each of which was taken after a penalty award. After the third such scrum,
the referee awarded a penalty try for persistent infringement by Ballyclare. This
was converted by Wilkinson to leave the half-time score at 12 points to 10 in the
home side's favour.
Ballyclare, with the wind in their favour in the second half, lost no time in putting
Carrick under pressure. After five minutes, they scored their third try when their
scrum-half burrowed over from a ruck on the Carrick line. This followed a strong
attacking run by the Ballyclare blind-side flanker.This try was converted. Carrick
then had probably their best period of the half when a series of penalties enabled
them to establish an attacking platform in the Ballyclare half. After a line-out
catch and drive, and a series of rucks, Paul Greenaway forced his was over. The try
was not converted. This left Carrick within four points of the home team but, from
then on, much of the play took place around half-way or in the Carrick half and,
despite a reasonable share of possession, the visitors never really looked like being
able to mount a serious threat . The visitors were not helped in this period by the
fact that blind side Michael Nugent was off the field with an injury for part of
the time and was clearly struggling when he came back on. Ballyclare eventually made
the game safe with a try in the thirty-eighth minute. Their forwards tied in the
Carrick defence with a series of rucks and quick transfer along the backs allowed
them to get in at the corner. The try was not converted to leave the final score
at 24 points to 15 in Ballyclare's favour.
This was always going to be a difficult task for Carrick, given the number of enforced
changes, and they will hope for better performances in their remaining League fixtures
against Donaghadee and Academy on 15 and 22 March respectively.
The Carrick team against Ballyclare was:
N. Johnston; D. Crothers, W. Anderson, A. Patterson, W. Shaw; K. Wilkinson, C. James;
C. Blair, G. Baxter, P. Greenaway, A. Kincaid, T. McCracken(Capt.), M. Nugent, R.
Higgins, J. Moffett.
Back
