STEWARTRY 11 OBAN LORNE 24
The visitors at Greenlaw on Saturday were Oban Lorne in this rescheduled RBS West League Division Two game.
Oban kicked off and showed they meant business early on. With only 5 minutes gone they attacked up thier right wing deep in to the Stewartry 22. The Blacks gave away a penalty for going over the top of the ruck 5 metres out from their own line. Taking a quick tap kick Oban drove in for a converted try.
Eight minutes in an Oban player got a yellow card for stamping in a ruck on the halfway line. The penalty took Stewartry into Oban territory for a lineout. The Blacks took the ball but the visitors spoiled. At the scrum 10 metres from the Oban try line Stewartry took the heal and went up the narrow side but a pass went forward.
Stewartry took the heal again in the scrum but they were pushed into touch giving the visitors a lineout 5 metres from their own line. Securing clean ball they cleared it back to the halfway line.
Midway through the first period Oban gave away a penalty for offside and then for a high tackle on their own 22. Mosey put 3 points on the board for the Blacks.
The next 10 minutes saw both teams exchange penalties. On the half hour McMinn replaced Armstrong. Stewartry were penalised for handling the ball in a ruck deep inside their own 22 giving Oban a 5 metre lineout. The ball was knocked on. From the back of the scrum Oban picked up the ball to go in for a try. The conversion missed.
With 5 minutes remaining in the first period Oban were offside. Mosey slotted the ball between the posts giving the Blacks 3 more points.
At a scrum on the visitors 10 metre line they delayed the put in giving Stewartry a free kick. At the lineout the big Oban forwards caught the ball and got back up to the halfway line where the Blacks knocked on. The scrum was the last play in the first period.
Into the second period the Blacks secured possession in a lineout 8 metres from the visitors try line. Taking the ball at pace Smith charged up the middle through 3 defenders but he got stopped 1 metre short. Oban got a turnover and mounted a counter attack up their left wing into the Stewartry 22 but they knocked on 5 metres short of the Blacks line. Riddick was replaced by Hogg.
It was a Blacks feed in to the scrum but it wheeled giving Oban the put in when it was reset. The Blacks got the heal and managed to move away from their line but they knocked on 8 metres out. In the scrum Stewartry again took the heal but the heavy Oban pack pushed the home forwarads back making it difficult to get the ball away.
The visitors continued to push the Blacks scrum back. They picked the ball up and went in for a try. The conversion went wide leaving Oban with an 11 point advantage. Cannon and McMorran were replaced by Broll and McCulloch.
Oban caught the restart kick and attacked up their left wing but good defense by Stewartry stopped them on the Blacks 10 metre line. Taking the ball in the lineout Oban moved it across the pitch but it went loose. The visitors chipped it up the right wing but they were offside. Armstrong went back on to replace Smith.
The penalty to Stewartry allowed them to punt the ball down field. From the lineout the ball went loose. Oban kicked forward but it went over the dead ball line.
At a lineout on the Stewratry 22 Oban secured the ball and pressed toward the try line but they were penalised for offside giving the Blacks another lineout 10 metres from their try line. The throw in was not straight giving the visitors a scrum. Oban drove nearer the Blacks line but more big Stewartry tackles stopped them 5 metres short giving the home side a scrum.
Big pressure by the Oban forwards allowed them to get the heal against the head. They picked up from the back of the scrum to go over for a converted try.
With 15 minutes left the Blacks raised their game. At a lineout on the visitors 22 the throw in was not straight giving Oban a scrum but they delayed the put in. Oban dissent to the referee earned Stewartry a penalty. At the lineout 8 metres from the Oban line the throw in went long and the visitors got a turnover allowing them to clear back down to their 22.
Picken and Sainsbury replaced Fingland and Cammay Fenwick. At a lineout 5 metres from the visitors try line the Blacks took clean ball and shipped it across the field to attack the Oban line. They went in for a try but the ball was held up.
In the 5 metre scrum Stewartry took the heal. Quick ball went to McCarney who charged to the Oban try line. Offloading in the tackle McCarney passed to Boyd who went over for a try. The conversion hit the post.
Cannon replaced Broll. Oban players crossed giving the Blacks a penalty. Kerr took a quick tap kick and charged to the visitors line. The ball went to McCarney and then to Boyd and Oban knocked on in the tackle. Ian Fenwick picked the ball up at the back of the scrum and drove for the line. The ball went to Cannon and then McCarney who got over the Oban line but again the ball was held up.
In the 5 metre scrum Stewartry got the heal and kept up the pressure. Oban gave away a penalty for offside. The Blacks took another quick kick but could not get over the Oban line. In the last play of the game Oban secured the ball in a lineout and pushed Stewartry back. Final score Stewartry 11 Oban Lorne 24.
The final stages of this game saw a very spirited performance from the Blacks. If they had played that way earlier in the game the result would have been different.
Stewartry squad:- J Fingland, K Riddick, J Muir, Danny Boyd, T J McCarney, C Mosey, D Kerr, I McMorran, D Burton, T Cannon, M Smith, J Armstrong, R Porteous, C Fenwick, I Fenwick (captain), M McCulloch, S Broll, K McMinn, H Sainsbury, J Picken, S Hogg.
One partner. No competitors. Visible across local sport.
