On a cold blustery day High School travelled to Lurgan for this League encounter hopeful of a win following their defeat of the home team earlier in the season. The team had a number of changes from the previous week through injury and unavailability. 

The game got underway with both teams struggling to get any rhythm into their game. The Lurgan pack slowly got the upper hand in the early exchanges with High School finding it difficult to gain any meaningful possession. This put High School on the back foot with the backs defending under pressure. The pressure eventually told but in a bizarre fashion when after 10 minutes Lurgan scored the first try of the game when the High School team seemed to stop playing allowing a Lurgan forward to saunter through for the points which were converted. 

Further pressure from Lurgan resulted in a penalty after 18 minutes which was converted giving the home team a comfortable lead. 

Unfortunately the injury jinx which has bedevilled the High School team this year struck again after 26 minutes of play when Derek Wilson was forced to leave the field after struggling with a reocurrance of a hamstring injury. With 14 men on the pitch for the remainder of the game High School were forced to restructure in the backline . 

Although the Lurgan team seemed to have the upper hand up to this stage the game was far from over and this became evident as High School commenced a fight back to get themselves into the game. Good work by the pack and recycling of the ball got the High School into the Lurgan 22 from where the ball was again recycled to Davy Hanna . With a characteristic bullish run Davy managed to squeeze through the Lurgan defence for the try on 30 minutes. Pete Taylor converted and suddenly the picture had changed and High School were back in the fight. 

With the game on 40 minutes and the High School travelling support looking for the half time whistle the Lurgan pack rumbled their way to the High School line where good defence kept them at bay. A scrum was awarded to High School but Lurgan took advantage of poor clearance work to score an opportunist try which was converted to stretch the home side lead . 

High School ignored the fact that the game was now almost 45 minutes old and the half time whistle had still to blow and managed to secure a penalty converted by Pete Taylor to close the gap. Eventually the referee blew the whistle with the teams separated by 7 points.

HALF  TIME        LURGAN  17      -       10  BHSFP      

Half time refreshments were taken and someone from High School really enjoyed the referees juice which he had left at the side of the pitch. Talk about keeping the ref sweet !! 

In the second half High School needed to get a good start but the strong Lurgan pack managed to camp in the High School half from the restart. After only 4 minutes of play in the half Lurgan scored a further try from broken play. The try was unconverted. 

High School were not going to lie down and fought their way back to the Lurgan half securing a lineout near the Lurgan goal line. The lineouts were working reasonably well up to this point and again Stewart Thompson threw in accurately. The ball was secured and Stewarty ran round , took possession and broke through the Lurgan defence for a well taken score. Pete Taylor converted  

The game was open at this point and the smaller High School pack were giving a good account of themselves although the Lurgan rolling maul was a constant threat in this half and on a number of occasions it was responsible for allowing Lurgan to make copious amounts of territory. However High School on occasions used their skills in this department and managed to secure the next points in this way. With the ball at the rear of the maul 10 metres from the Lurgan line good driving work saw Gareth McManus go over for the points after 16 minutes of the half. The try was converted much to the dismay of the Lurgan team who led for most of the game and were now in arrears by 2 points against 14 men.   

Lurgan however were able to put the final points on the board through a try after 20 minutes of the half . This came again from broken play and a strong run by a second row forward. The try was converted leaving the teams again separated by 5 points. 

The High School fought hard for the remainder of the game and good work by Ian Elliott , Chris kitchen and Jordon Frampton  almost saw points coming but unfortunately a missed penalty was the only opportunity in the final 20 minutes. 

This was a lost game but one in which High School showed great character in coming back into the game and could have snatched a win despite being short on numbers . 

Next week its Antrim at Home.

Labor Ipse Voluptas