They looked dead and buried but once Greg Austin pulled back a try they drove at the Ballymena line and three minutes into stoppage time Kevin Barrett charged down a James Topping clearance to score.

Full-back Robbie Lee, who had scored a first-half try, displayed nerves of steel to add the match-winning conversion.

Ballymena were stunned. They led 19-7 at the break, scrum-half Neil Doak scoring all the points with four penalties and a converted try. Shane Stewart got their second try twelve minutes from the end to seemingly wrap up victory before Buccaneers came with their remarkable late finish.