Buccs overcome Ballymena

Buccaneers 23 Ballymena 17

Ballymena’s first game for three weeks ended in defeat, as third-placed Buccaneers ran out 23-17 winners, having been two points up at the break.

Ballymena travelled without provincial stars Gary Longwell and Neill McMillan and looked to be heading into the second-half with a 9-0 deficit from three David Connellan penalties, before scrum half Peter Spence sniped over in first half injury time for a try.

Dirkie Strydom’s conversion put the visitors just two behind and in sight of their sixth win of the season, but second half tries from Buccs’ own scrum half Chris Keane and centre Shane Stephens closed out the Pirates’ seventh win in eight games, with out-half Connellan finishing the game with 13 points.

Ballymena have been leapfrogged in the table by Belfast Harlequins into fourth, while Buccs lie four points clear of them in third.