Banbridge Rugby Club - Northern Ireland

But with the promotion play-off just ten days away the Bann coaches and supporters were keen to see how their side measured up against a team from the higher Divisions.

AIL 1B side Dungannon may have been a couple of players short of full strength, but they still fielded a XV packed with experience. And the visitors to Stevenson Park gave a good account of themselves before eventually succumbing on a 4-3 try count.

Bann had much the better of the early exchanges as they showed a refreshing willingness to run the ball on every possible occasion. Within four minutes they had taken the lead as Jonny Pollock touched down in the right hand corner after the forwards had produced quick ruck ball.

Robin Thompson's conversion was off-target but he slotted home a penalty soon afterwards to reflect Bann's continuing territorial edge.

The out-half had less luck with an attempted clearance kick, with Dungannon No 8 Tim Smith charging it down before re-gathering the ball to touch down at the posts, Michael Lawton adding the conversion.

Ashley Finlay's blistering break from halfway initiated Bann's second try, with Jonny Little making further ground before finding Pollock with the scoring pass. Thompson added the conversion and a second penalty before the break. But in between Dungannon picked up another converted try, Michael Kirkwood's darting run from a ruck taking him in at the posts for Lawton to convert.

That four point interval lead for the visitors was overturned by a Lawton try and conversion early in the second half.

But Bann were far from a spent force and they created the best try of the game from a lineout on Dungannon's "22", with Pollock completing an impressive hat-trick on the end of a sparkling threequarter move. That unconverted try edged Bann 21-23 in front but the home side had the last word, with Kirkwood racing in from the "22" to score a try which Lawton again bettered.

Bann played their full part in what was a thoroughly entertaining game and despite their team coming out on the wrong side of the scoreline, coaches Daniel Soper and Simon Best will have taken heart from much of what they saw.