BALLYMENA made heavy weather of winning only their second league match of the season at Eaton Park yesterday.

In the end, they had to rely heavily on a pack that dominated the match from start to finish, with all three tries coming from the home pack.

Dolphin had their moments but were playing second fiddle up front, which meant their scoring opportunities were limited and for the greater part of the match had to rely on out-half Brendan Keeshan for their scores.

Ballymena had no such problems in this regard, scoring first-half tries through hooker Stephen Douglas and number eight Christ Henry in the opening half.

Full-back Dirkie Strydom converted both while the visitors had to rely on two penalties from out-half Keeshan.

The same player then added his third penalty on the restart and his fourth penalty, 15 minutes from time, cut the deficit to just two points.

Eight minutes from time, Ballymena pinned Dolphin back on their own 22 and though the visitors defended heroically, Ballymena got through for try number three six minutes from time through lock Ian Caldwell.

Strydom, for the first time in the afternoon, missed the conversion and at the finish Dolphin were attacking but time eventually ran out.

BALLYMENA D Strydom; S Young, J Topping, J McGruggan, A Maxwell; J Ritchie, D Drake; P Steenkamp, S Douglas, S Shawe, I Caldwell, B Young, A Graham, G Moore, C Henry Subs P Spence for Drake 27 mins; P Dudina for Ritchie 42 mins DOLPHIN G Conway; E Mills, P Owens, J O'Mahony, K Lynch; B Keeshan, G O'Keeffe; F Gately, K Murray, J O'Sullivan, D Hardy, R McGrath, G Finn, D Murphy, D Pomeroy Subs S Heffernan for O'Sullivan 55 mins.

Referee D Phillips (Leinster)