STEWARTYRY 34pts McLAREN 14pts
The last time Stewartry played McLaren this season the Blacks went on a run of four defeats. After Saturdays game the Stewartry had avenged the earlier defeat and were now on an unbeaten run of four wins in the league moving above McLaren into fifth place.
McLaren kicked off in the dry conditions with both teams keen to make a good start Stewartry winning the early exchanges and the Blacks scrum dominant from the start. Cammy Fenwick stole a lineout and drove into the McLaren 22 Stewartry winning a penalty which Craig Mosey converted in only four minutes. A good start for the Blacks playing in their change white strip. Stewartry’s Ian Fenwick caught the restart kick and sent Stuart Broll off on a driving run back over halfway. Stewartry were awarded another penalty in fifteen minutes but it was missed. Craig Mosey made up for it with a high kick into the McLaren 22 which the McLaren fullback knocked on giving Stewartry a scrum fifteen metres out. Ian Fenwick picked up at no 8 passed to scrum half David Kerr who put speeding full back John Fingland in for the opening try. Broll was again to the fore along with the Kerr brothers, Smith and Carson who was stopped just short of the line. After a clash of heads in the McLaren 22 the game restarted with a Stewartry scrum fifteen metres out from the line. Scrum half David Kerr led the charge to the line with Fenwick and Broll in support before Rory Porteous spotted an opportunity to score the second try in the corner. Mosey converted from the touch line. Two minutes later another Stewartry scrum five metres out saw the Blacks drive over the line for a no 8’s touch down for captain Ian Fenwick. Mosey again converted from the touchline. 22-0 to Stewartry in twenty two minutes played. Stewartry kept the pressure on but then McLaren broke straight through the middle before being stopped just short of the posts. The referee had to step in to calm things down after a number of punches were thrown by both teams. McLarens best chance to score was stopped with the winger being knocked into touch just short of the try line. Half time 22-0 to Stewartry.
Stewartry kicked off the second half towards the clubhouse and were soon on the attack with Cammy Fenwick again stealing lineout ball. A quickly taken penalty by wing forward John Kerr saw a try disallowed for prop
Ian McMorran adjudged to have knocked on as he touched down. Cammy Fenwick was next to be disallowed a try as the referee was unsighted. In the end a penalty try was awarded as Stewartry once again drove over the line.Craig Mosey added the points and Stewartry had secured the try bonus point. A penalty award to McLaren saw their kick rebound into play off the crossbar. TJ McCarney following up the clearance kick made thirty metres into the McLaren half. Stewartry brought on the rest of their substitutes over a five minute period the game now opening up with some end to end play. McLaren scored in the sixty second minute when they broke down the left wing and cut into the posts. The conversion was added. Stewartry replied from the kick off winning a scrum deep in the McLaren 22 which at the third attempt Ian Fenwick managed to touch down for his second try and a second double in two weeks. With eight minutes left a loose Stewartry pass gave McLaren an easy second score their no 8 kicking ahead and chasing in to score at the posts. The conversion was added for a final score of 34-14 to Stewartry and revenge for a similar score line at Dunblane when Stewartry lost 30-10.
Stewartry Squad. J Fingland, S Carson, D Boyd, C Ferguson, J Muir, C Mosey, D Kerr, S Broll, D Burton, I McMorran, M Smith, R Porteous, J Kerr, C Fenwick, I Fenwick (captain) subs all used TJ McCarney
M McCulloch, L Henderson, S Hogg, D Thomson and K Riddick.
