STEWARTRY 33 CUMBERNAULD 5
For only their second league game since the turn of the year Stewartry went to Cumbernauld for this BT West Division Two match.
The home team kicked off and the early stages went from end to end of the field with both sides giving away no less than 9 penalties in the first 18 minutes for infringements at the breakdown.
With 20 minutes on the clock Smith took possession in a lineout on the halfway line sending the ball to Mosey who punted down the right wing for another lineout. The Cumbernauld pack took the ball and kicked forward. Picken was on hand to catch and pass to Muir who ran into space on the left wing past 3 defenders to go in for a try. Mosey added the conversion.
Catching the restart ball Stewartry were penalised for holding on in a ruck on their 10 metre line. The Cumbernauld penalty went right of the posts.
The Stewartry 22 drop out gave the home side a scrum on the Blacks 10 metre line and more possession. Stewartry gave away a penalty on their own 22 giving Cumbernauld a lineout 10 metres from the Blacks line.
The home forwards secured the ball but Stewartry stole it allowing Mosey to clear but the ball didn’t find touch. Cumbernauld attacked again up the left wing to go in for a try but the last pass was forward and the Blacks were offside.
Deciding to use their superiority the home pack went for a scrum 8 metres out from the Blacks try line. Cumbernauld got the push on took the ball out left and went in for a try. The conversion missed.
Five minutes from the interval Stewartry gave away another penalty for holding on giving the home team a lineout on the Blacks 10 metre line but they knocked on.
Cumbernauld were penalised twice for not releasing in the ruck giving Stewartry a lineout 10 metres out. Securing clean ball the Stewartry forwards drove for the try line but the ball went loose and into touch. Half time score Stewartry 7 Cumbernauld 5.
As in the first period the kick off lead to a penalty when the home forwards held on in the ruck. A quick tap by Farquhar caught Cumbernauld out as he sent the ball wide to Austin who broke away up the left wing and in to touch down. The conversion missed.
From the restart the Blacks gave away another penalty for illegal entry at a ruck giving the home team a lineout on the Stewartry 22 but there was a knock on.
Cumbernauld took the ball in the scrum but Farquhar was quick to spoil and got hold of the ball sending it right but it went forward on the Cumbernauld 10 metre line where they gave away a penalty.
Another quick tap by the Blacks allowed Stewartry to drive up to the home 5 metre line where Cumbernauld were penalised for holding on.
More fast thinking by Farquhar saw him take another quick one. He passed to Muir who found space to go in for a try which Mosey converted.
From a scrum on the Stewartry 10 metre line the ball went loose. The home forwards picked up and attacked up the right side but again they held on in the ruck. Mosey kicked for a lineout where Cumbernauld took the ball and drove back up toward the Stewartry line.
Stewartry’s tight defence put Cumbernauld into touch for a lineout. Again the home forwards took the ball and drove forward but the Blacks knocked on 5 metres out.
Cumbernauld took the ball in the scrum and attacked left but once more the Blacks defence kept them out getting another scrum. This time Stewartry got the ball and Mosey punted it away.
Going into the last quarter Maxwell went on in place of Andrew Kerr. In a scrum Cumbernauld took the ball and broke up left but the Blacks managed a turnover to counter attack, With good running handling the ball went to Thomson who broke through loose home defence to get behind the posts for a bonus point touch down. Mosey slotted the conversion.
After the restart the ball went loose. Cumbernauld kicked it forward but it went too far.
With 10 minutes remaining Josh Bulliff replaced John Kerr. The Blacks took the 22 drop out but someone was in front of the kicker. The home team were unable to capitalise from the penalty.
Five minutes from the final whistle Smith picked up at the back of a scrum to let Mosey clear but the home side went on the attack. Once more Stewartry held on in the ruck and were penalised. This gave Cumbernauld a lineout on the Blacks 22 but there was a knock on giving Stewartry a scrum.
Stewartry took the ball sending it out to Austin who broke up to the home 22 but once more it went forward.allowing the home team to clear the ball away.
In the remaining minutes Stewartry drove forward with Farquhar breaking up the left side but the ball went loose allowing Cumbernauld to kick it away. Cunningham replaced Farquhar.
In final play the Blacks went up the middle. Good support from Burton saw him take the ball to charge in from the 22 to get a try left of the posts. Mosey’s conversion took the final score to Stewartry 33 Cumbernauld 5.
Both teams made a lot of unforced errors with 19 penalties over the piece. Absent players in the Stewartry pack allowed Cumbernauld to take control of a lot of scrums. The second was the better of the two halves when the Blacks changed the game plan to run it wide. This win gives them a 13 point margin at the top of the table before McLaren come to Greenlaw on Saturday.
Stewartry squad: J Fingland, J Picken, R Austin, Danny Boyd, J Muir, C Mosey, J Farquhar, S Broll, D Thomson, D Burton, L Henderson, A Kerr, J Kerr (captain), S McCulloch, M Smith, D Maxwell, R Cunningham, J Bulliff.
