STEWARTRY 31 PAISLEY 8
Stewrtry travelled to Paisley for this BT West Division Two game.
Overnight rain made the pitch very heavy and sticky. Paisley started the game off and the Blacks were soon deep into the home 22 but Paisley managed a turnover to go on the attack and get into the Stewartry 22 but home players went into touch.
Stewratry got the 5 metre lineout and took the ball but Paisley got the push on trying to drive the Blacks back over their try line but Mosey kicked the ball away to clear.
With 10 minutes on the clock the Blacks took the ball at a lineout on their own 22 and kicked it forward. The home team caught it to go on the attack but John Kerr was on hand to get a turnover and put the ball out to Muir who broke away up the left side and in for a try. The conversion went wide.
Securing the restart ball Paisley were back into the Stewartry 22 for a lineout. The Blacks knocked on giving Paisley a scrum. This allowed the home side to charge up the middle of the pitch but Stewartry went offside 10 metres from their own line giving Paisley an easy 3 point penalty.
The Blacks made a lot of ground after the restart going deep into the Paisley 22 where home players knocked on giving Stewartry a 5 metre scrum. The Blacks forwards put the pressure on driving the home pack back over their line. Farquhar touched down and Mosey slotted the conversion.
Stewartry were penalised for going over the top of the ruck giving Paisley a lineout on the Blacks 22 but the Stewartry pack secured the ball allowing Mosey to kick back to halfway for another lineout.
Again Stewartry took the ball sending it out the back line. Boyd broke through to get into the home 22 but but he got pushed into touch.
The ball went loose in the lineout and Porteous picked up to drive for the line but he got stopped short. He made a good offload allowing the Blacks to keep possession and go left. Good support play from Fingland saw him come into the back line and go in and touch down behind the posts. Mosey added the conversion.
On the half hour Muir secured the restart ball and ran into space up the left side getting past 2 defenders and into the home 22 where he was stopped. Again great support from McCulloch allowed him to take the ball to get in for a converted try.
The home team got a lineout on the Stewartry 22 but the Blacks took the ball which Picken cleared back down to the Paisley 22 for another lineout. The throw in was not straight giving the Blacks a scrum.
Stewartry took the ball putting it out the back line for an attack on the Paisley line. Great handling saw Boyd emulate Stuart Hogg by palming the ball over to Muir on the left wing allowing him in for a bonus point try. The conversion went wide leaving the score Stewartry 31 Paisley 3 at the interval.
The rain returned as the Blacks kicked off the second period sending the ball deep into the Paisley 22 where home forwards knocked on but Stewartry could not capitalise from the scrum and they gave away a penalty for not releasing which allowed Paisley to clear the ball away.
Getting a turnover in midfield Stewartry went up the middle of the pitch with Austin making a break up the right side into the Paisley 22 but his offload pass went forward.
Ten minutes into the third quarter the Blacks took the ball against the head and again went up the middle but there was a knock on.
Maxwell and Fenwick went on in place of Smith and Porteous. Stewartry kept up the pressure at a scrum on the home 22 but Paisley managed a turnover and broke up the right side.
The Stewartry defence stopped the attack but home players sent the ball over to the opposite side of the field to let their winger in for a try. The conversion missed.
Thomson went on in place of Cannon. The Blacks secured possession in a midfield scrum but were penalised for not releasing allowing the home side to clear down field.
Going into the last quarter Cannon went back on in place of McMorran who got a knee injury. Picking up at a scrum the ball went to Picken who ran into space and into the home 22 but his pass to Austin went forward.
Stewartry kept up the pressure pushing the home forwards back in a scrum. Paisley knocked on 5 metres out from their own line. This time the ball went loose and John Kerr was quickly on it but he was stopped short.
The Blacks gave away a penalty for offside giving the home team a lineout on their own 10 metre line but Stewartry stole the ball which was knocked on.
Paisley cleared from the scrum.
Twelve minutes from time Hamilton and David Kerr replaced Farquhar and Muir. In a lineout on halfway Stewartry caught the ball to drive forward but were penalised for offside.
Taking the ball at a lineout on their own 10 metre line Hamilton broke through getting into the home 22 but Paisley managed a turnover and then knocked on.
Picking up from a scrum on the home 10 metre line John Kerr got over the Paisley 22 and Mosey punted over the home try line but a defender was on hand to touch down.
Five minutes from time Cunningham replaced Fingland. The Blacks got a lineout on their own 10 metre line and advanced into Paisley territory but they went into touch just before the whistle. Full time score Stewartry 31 Paisley 8.
The wet conditions and the very heavy pitch made things difficult for both sides. Stewartry played some excellent running rugby throughout the game with some very good handling and the number of penalties given away was much improved from previous games.
Stewartry squad:- J Fingland, J Muir, J Picken, Danny Boyd, R Austin, C Mosey, J Farquhar, I McMorran, D Burton, T Cannon (captain), R Porteous,
L Henderson, J Kerr, S McCulloch, M Smith, D Maxwell, C Fenwick, M Hamilton, D Kerr, D Thomson, R Cunningham, J Bulliff.
