Uddingston 7pts Stewartry 41pts.
Stewartry travelled back in time when they visited Bothwell Castle for the only the third time since 1974’s first visit.
Stewartry enjoyed a 77-0 win at Greenlaw in September against the BT West Division Three Champions who have found life in West Two very hard with only two bonus points gained after going unbeaten in the league last season while Stewartry have promotion hopes of their own this season. The neutral spectator would have been wondering who was bottom of the league as Stewartry failed to put their game together in the first half. The Blacks depleted squad of only eighteen players took fifteen minutes to make their first chance when from a quickly taken penalty John Fingland scored his first try of the season. The conversion was missed. The Blacks lead only lasted five minutes as Uddingston fought back and broke through some weak Stewartry defence to score and take the lead with the conversion. Uddingston continued to play the game in the Stewartry half but could not break through again. Two minutes before half time Stewartry broke out and winning a scrum in the Uddingston 22 scrum half Jamie Farquhar went wide and scored a second try with Craig Mosey adding the conversion. Half time an undeserved 7-5 lead to Stewartry was not missed by coach John Muir as he blasted the Blacks efforts.
An injury to the referee saw a replacement take over and he brought a change of fortune to the Blacks game. Within ten minutes Liam Henderson was enjoying scoring his first try of the season after barging over from a ruck ten metres out. Mosey added the conversion.
Stewartry had found second and third gear and were now playing more like they had the previous week in the first half against Annan.
Craig Mosey added a penalty and on the hour skipper Tommy Cannon opted for a short penalty which saw Stewartry drive at the Uddingston
line a number of times before Cannon crashed over for the bonus point try. Mosey added the conversion to put Stewartry in easy street 29-7.
Stewartry brought their replacements on Uddingston heads dropped and Stewartry went about adding to their total. A John Muir run from his own 22 to the home 22 combining with Robert Wallace to put the captain Tommy Cannon in for his second try. A sixth try with a conversion from stand off Craig Mosey ended the scoring. The bonus point win saw the Blacks move up to second place something that seemed unlikely at half time.
Stewartry Squad. D Kerr, R Wallace, Danny Boyd, T J McCarney, J Fingland, C Mosey, J Farquhar, M McCulloch, S McCulloch,
T Cannon (captain), R Porteous, L Henderson, G Ward, A Kerr, M Smith, S Carson, R Cunningham, J Muir.
This week Stewartry are at home to fifth placed McLaren who beat Stewartry 19-17 back in September at Callander. Kick off 2.00pm.
