Instonians hit in the middle

HE heavy defeat at the hands of Old Crescent two weeks ago proved a chastening experience for Old Belvedere, and with delegation worries beginning to gather ominously over Anglesea Road, the Dublin side knew they had to take two league points from this game.

From the outset it was clear where the home side perceived their opponents' main weakness to be again and again the Belvedere's forwards crashed through the middle, and while it didn't make for pretty rugby, it proved ultimately successful.

The win moves Old Belvedere to mid table, while Instonians, with only one win from seven games, now look certain to make the drop to Division Two.

Four of Belvedere's five tries were scored by forwards, and it was the brace by prop Ray Ward at the end of the third quarter which finally killed off Instonians' challenge.

But if Instonians were vulnerable to the frontal attack, Old Belvedere never looked comfortable when the Northerners ran the ball wide. A close range try by flanker Hugh McDonnell in the 13th minute, converted by out half Willie Treacy, put them 7-3 ahead.

But a second penalty from Instonians Simon Bond after 17 minutes cut the gap to just a point. Then, on the half hour, Nicky Moffett, despite having to check to gather a terrible pass off the ground, still managed to elude three Old Belvedere defenders to cross over for the softest of tries, converted by Bond, to give his side a 13-7 lead.

A Willie Treacy penalty and a try by number eight Fergal O'Beirne, one minute before halftime, appeared to put Belvedere in control. But from the restart Instonians piled into their 22, and when the ball was recycled quickly, centre Innes Gray skipped in.

A Craig Bewley try two minutes into the second hall, following a break by Neil Francis, failed to dampen Instonians' enthusiasm for the fray, and Bond's third penalty five minutes later had them trailing by just a point.

With back row players Roger Wilson and Kevin McKee beginning to tire and out half Simon Bond failing to vary his approach, the initiative passed to Belvedere.