STEWARTRY 11 MILLBRAE 3
Millbrae and Stewartry took to a wet and muddy pitch for the first round of the BT West Regional Shield.
At a scrum on halfway in the first minute the home pack took the ball to run up the left side into the Blacks 22 but a loose pass on the 5 metre line allowed Stewartry to get back up to their 22 where Millbrae gave away a penalty for holding on in the ruck.
The kick took the Blacks up to halfway where the hosts knocked on. They took the ball in the scrum for Mosey to kick up to the home 5 metre line but the home forwards turned it over to clear the ball away.
From a scrum on the Millbrae 10 metre line the ball went to Milligan on the wing who charged into the home 22 but he was pushed into touch.
the throw in to the lineout was squint giving the Blacks a scrum. They secured the ball allowing Cannon to barge through into the Millbrae 22 where the hosts went offside. Muir took a quick tap catching out home players who were not back 10 metres. Mosey slotted the penalty.
From a scrum Millbrae got a lineout on the halfway line. The Blacks took the ball but were penalised for handling in the ruck taking the home side up to the Stewartry 22 where the Blacks turned the ball over.
In a scrum on the Millbrae 22 The Blacks took the ball putting it to Muir who saw space on the right side but he got stopped and the ball went loose. Fingland was on hand to kick it forward where home defenders picked it up to clear back down field.
The home side got back up to the Stewartry 5 metre line but they were penalised for handling in the ruck allowing Stewartry to kick the ball away.
15 minutes from the break Taylor came off his own wing to race up right to halfway but he got stopped. Millbrae were offside but the Stewartry penalty did not add any points.
At a scrum on halfway John Kerr picked up and broke through the home defence but was tackled. His pass to brother Andrew allowed him to make more ground into the Millbrae 22 before he was stopped and home players gave away a penalty for handling in the ruck.
Five minutes from the interval Mosey’s kick added 3 more points. The restart was caught by Smith who got up to the Blacks 10 metre line but there was a knock on.
Taking the ball in the scrum Millbrae went up the right wing but Stewartry defenders got a turnover to clear the ball away. McCulloch did great work taking the ball on the Millbrae throw in and broke up the left wing. Mosey took the ball kicking deep into the home 22 but the Blacks were penalised for coming into the ruck from the side..
The Millbrae kick on the half time whistle was wide leaving the Blacks 6 points clear.
Farquhar replaced Picken going into the second period. Milligan caught the start kick and broke up his right wing but was stopped short of the Millbrae 22. Stewartry gave away a penalty for holding on in the ruck. The Millbrae kick missed.
The Stewartry 22 drop out was returned with interest but Fingland was on hand to call the mark. The clearing kick was sliced and Stewartry went offside giving the hosts 3 points from the penalty.
Ten minutes in a Muir grubber kick took Stewartry deep into the home 22. The home side knocked on 5 metres from their own line. The Stewartry pack got the push with Porteous picking up to drive for the line but he stopped 1 metre out. Recycled ball came back to Cannon to bulldoze over the try line to touch down. The conversion went wide.
Home forwards got up to the Blacks 5 metre line for a lineout and again McCulloch caught the ball to kick down field.. At a scrum on the Stewartry 22 the ball went to Muir but his clearing kick was charged down before going into touch off a Stewartry defender.
Once more McCulloch stole the home throw in but Millbrae managed a turnover to get back up to the Blacks 5 metre line where Stewartry knocked on.
Millbrae exerted pressure on the Stewartry pack to take the ball but the Blacks turned it over to kick clear. With 15 minutes gone the hosts got back to the Stewartry 5 metre line for a lineout.but they went over the top of the ruck allowing the Blacks to kick the penalty away.
Going into the last quarter heavy rain made the ground conditions even worse and both teams gave away penalties for not releasing. Again Millbrae put the Blacks defence under the cosh getting up to the Stewartry try line but they knocked on. The ball came back to Mosey from the scrum for him to kick it away.
With 5 minutes to go another penalty took Stewartry up to the home 22. From a scrum Mosey kicked for a 5 metre lineout and yet again McCulloch took the ball. but it went forward. The hosts cleared it from the scrum.
In the closing minutes the home side made it back to the Blacks 22 but the ball went forward. Stewartry took the ball in the scrum to close the game down. Final score Stewartry 11 Millbrae 3.
In the terrible conditions Stewartry played well with excellent defence and set piece play.
Stewartry squad:- J Fingland, M Taylor, J Muir, R Austin, S Milligan, C Mosey, J Picken, I McMorran, D THomson, T Cannon, R Porteous (captain),
A Kerr, S McCulloch, J Kerr, M Smith, J Farquhar, R Cunningham, K Roberts.
