​Queen’s left to reflect on ‘tough result’ in AIL home clash with Old Belvedere

It was an eighth straight reversal for the students but picking up a losing bonus point moved Queen’s off the bottom of the Division 1B table.

Queen’s can feel aggrieved by the outcome as the students had dominated the scrum, winning four consecutive penalties at the set piece.

And shortly into the second half, after Ulster prop Scott Wilson scored a great solo try to put the students 19-10 up, the game went to uncontested scrums as Belvo had no fit front row cover negating the host’s most potent weapon.

Queen’s back coach DJ Creighton was naturally disappointed.

“I suppose we were surprised that a team at the top of the table felt they needed to go uncontested through injuries,” said Creighton.

"But that is just the way it is, and we probably didn’t deal with it very well.

“They had to go down to 14 men, from our point of view we should have taken our chances on the edges.

“I thought we had opportunities to win that, our game was going well near the end of the first half and we got ourselves in a right good position at 19-10.

"Scrum was dominated and, unfortunately, it had to go uncontested but it is what it is.

“They took their chances and probably we could have nicked it at the end.

"We just have to keep going but it is a tough result to take.

“We didn’t start very well, gave them a couple of scores.

"Then we took our scores well just before half-time, which we felt gave us a good foothold going into the second half.

“Scott scored a great try at the start of the second half and it was great to have him back.

"I thought he went really well but probably just a few errors that put us under pressure.

"And that cost us.”

The losing bonus point could be vital for Queen’s come the end of the season.

“Every point for us now is crucially important, we are just chasing to stay in games and we’re well aware if something clicks it will come,” said Creighton. “That point could be important come April, we’ll keep fighting.”

Belvo took a 10-0 lead before a penalty try before lock Paddy McAlpine went over from a maul which Ben McFarlane converted gave Queen’s a four-point advantage at half-time.

Wilson’s superb score marked Queen’s only points of the second half. The Dubliners added tries and a conversion.

In Division 1A, both Ballynahinch and City of Armagh suffered defeats.

Hinch lost 26-25 at Young Munster while Armagh went down 37-13 at home to Terenure.

Malone are off the bottom of Division 2A after a 17-12 Ulster derby win over Banbridge, while Ballymena won 22-19 at Barnhall.

Instonians extended their lead to eight points at the top of Division 2B.

Paul Pritchard’s side scored 14 tries in an 86-7 win over Dolphin.

Rainey enjoyed a 16-10 success over Corinthians.

Dungannon and Belfast Harlequins both lost on the road.

In Division 2C, there were wins for Bangor and Clogher Valley but Omagh lost at Galwegians.