STEWARTRY 12 CLYDEBANK 7
Stewartry’s first game of 2016 in the BT West Division 2 league was away to Clydebank.
The home side started the game kicking off into the wind. With only 3 minutes on the clock a forward pass by Stewartry gave Clydebank a scum just outside the Blacks 22.
Securing the ball the Blacks mounted an attack but an intercepted pass gave the team an opening to charge up the left wing to touch down a try which was converted.
Clydebank managed a turnover from the restart kick to get back up to the Blacks 22 but they gave away a penalty for handling in the ruck. The kick took Stewartry back to the halfway line for a lineout.
Stewartry made ground up to the home 22 but they were penalised for offside. The penalty took Clydebank back to halfway.
The Blacks went on the attack again and into Clydebank territory when the home side were penalised for holding on in the ruck. Stewartry chose to scrum down with the ball coming out to the back line. Muir ran onto the ball at speed but he was stopped short of the line.
The ball came back quickly and out left but a Clydebank defender knocked on. The Blacks forwards got a push on to go over the home line but the try was not given. Stewartry got momentum again in the reset scrum but it went down 1 metre from the line.
From the third scrum Stewartry put the ball over to the right wing. Scott Carson took it at pace charging for the try line but tackles by two home defenders stopped him a metre out. Fenwick replaced Carson who had to leave the pitch suffering a broken leg
In the scrum the home pack took the ball managing to get up to their 22 but the ball went forward. The Blacks then took it at the scrum but the ball went loose. Muir picked up and charged up the right wing but was put into touch 5 metres from the home line. Clydebank took the ball in the lineout allowing them to kick it away.
Going into the second quarter the home side were penalised for not releasing in the ruck leading to a Stewartry 5 metre lineout. Porteous secured the ball and the Stewartry forwards powered over for him to get a try. The conversion missed.
With 30 minutes on the clock strong forward pressure got the Blacks back inside the Clydebank 22. The home team gave away a penalty with a high tackle. The kick gave Stewartry another 5 metre lineout and once more they drove over allowing Porteous to score again. This time Mosey’s conversion went over giving the Blacks a 5 point advantage.
Five minutes from the break the Blacks were penalised for handling in the ruck giving Clydebank a 5 metre lienout. They caught the ball but the Stewartry forwards stole it and cleared it away but didn’t find touch.
The home side broke up the right wing but a Stewartry defender was on hand to put them into touch. The Blacks caught the ball at the lineout allowing them to send it down field on the half time whistle.
John Picken replaced Cannon going into the second period. The Blacks were penalised on the hallway line leading to a Clydebank lineout on the Stewartry 22 but the ball was knocked on. Mosey kicked the ball away when it came back from the scrum.
Five minutes into the second half Fenwick got a shoulder injury and was replaced by Hogg.
From a scrum on the Blacks 22 they took the heal and found space up the left but got stopped. Clydebank forwards got a turnover and kicked the ball ahead but it went dead.
Porteous caught the well placed drop out ball on the run making ground up to halfway. He offloaded to Muir who kicked forward but again the ball went dead.
Using the wind Clydebank put pressure on getting deep into the Stewartry 22 for a lineout but the Blacks pack pushed them back.
Into the last quarter Cannon returned in place of Maxwell. Another high tackle by a home player gave Stewartry a penalty taking them back to halfway. McMorran was replaced by Broll.
Home players crossed on the Stewartry 10 metre line giving the Blacks a penalty but they could not capitalise on it.
Wiht 10 minutes left the Blacks forwards took the ball in a lineout sending it to Farquhar who broke through up the left side.. Home players went offside giving the Blacks another lineout 18 metres out.
Stewartry took the ball and made ground but they were pushed into touch 10 metres from the home line. However from the lineout the Blacks were penalised for holding on in the ruck. allowing Clydebank to get back to the Stewartry 10 metre line but there was a knock on.
Clydebank took the ball in the scrum but it went forward. This time the Blacks took it and got up to the home 10 metre line where there was another knock on.
Stewartry took the heal at the scrum and Farquhar’s clearing kick was the end of the game. Final score Stewartry 12 Clydebank 7.
Soft ground conditions and a cold wind did not make things easy for either side with both making lots a handling mistakes. The Blacks win could easily have gone the other way.
Stewartry squad:- J Fingland, R Wallace, S Carson, Danny Boyd, J Muir, C Mosey, J Farquhar, T Cannon (captain), D Burton, I McMorran, L Henderson, R Porteous, S McCulloch, D Maxwell, M Smith, C Fenwick, S Broll, J Picken, R Cunningham, S Hogg, E O’Rourke, A Picken.
