STEWARTYRY 41pts STRATHENDRICK 10pts.
Stewartry increased their lead at the top of BT West Division Two to ten points with a seven try to two win over Strathendrick.
Mascot for the day Owen Geddes led the Stewartry out onto pitch two as the referee decided pitch one was too wet after the heavy overnight rain.
Strathendrick kicked off in front of the biggest crowd of the season who had been dragged out of the clubhouse across the old railway line.
Stewartry took the game up the hill to the visitors and from a penalty award they won the lineout and Rory Porteous was over for the opening try in only three minutes. Stewartry kept the pressure on TJ McCarney missing a scoring chance when the ball slipped forward. Captain Tommy Cannon was next to have a scoring chance but the referee adjudged it a double movement and the try was disallowed . Mosey then made good ground up to the 22 before Farquhar took a quick penalty only to be stopped five metres short. The Stewartry scrum was pushing Strathendrick back in the muddy conditions and no 8 Martin Smith touched down from the push over. It had taken Strathendrick almost twenty minutes they took play into the Stewartry 22 but missed the chance to score from a penalty award. Porteous was denied a try from a pushover and the referee was unsighted minutes later from another try attempt. On the half hour Austin got to within five metres of the line after jinking passed a number of defenders winning Stewartry a scrum. Another push over saw Martin Smith claim his second try. Craig Mosey added the conversion. Stewartry lost prop Kyle Amos to a yellow card ten minutes before halftime for not retiring ten metres at a penalty. Strathendrick took advantage off the extra man to score an unconverted try. Just on half time T J McCarney took the ball at speed and crashed over the conversion coming back of the post. Half time 22-5 to Stewartry.
Stewartry supporters decided the game was won and disappeared to the warmth of the clubhouse missing young David Maxwell score his first try for the Stewartry first team. Mosey converted. Midway through the second half an intercepted pass in their own 22 gave Strathendrick a scoring chance but Stewartry full back John Fingland chased back making a fine try saving tackle just short of the Stewartry line. From the resulting line out Strathendrick took possession and scored their second try. Replacement Cammy Fenwick was keen to get into the action and two tries in ten minutes with one converted by Mosey gave him some satisfaction for waiting in the cold and wet. The game ended with Strathendrick on the Stewartry line battling for a third try but good strong defence kept them out. Both teams had served up a good entertaining game in horrible weather conditions and were not long in getting to the hot showers.
This week Stewartry are away to Paisley with a 2.00pm kick off.
