Cumnock 1st XV 3 Loch Lomond 22

Although slightly cold on the weather front, this was a cracking day, to be playing in a game of rugby, especially if you were one of the Cumnock youth set up now being blooded into senior rugby. From the kick-off it was end to end play, with both teams showing good attacking and equally the same in defence. Although from the sideline it was noticible that Lomond did have the heavier pack, yet with Greer and Hunter in the front row backed up with Cross and Brady, they were hardly ever troubled, Miller even stealing a couple.

After fifteen minutes though, it was a charged down clearance kick from Hill, that allowed Lomond in for a try. Possession was still running on 50-50 Kerr and Hodge linking with Stuart Hunter off the back of scrums, Barr waiting on second phase, and using the pace of Nisbitt to puncture the Lomond defence. Lomond's main attacks for now were through their backs, but with Nairn Harkin and McMillan in the back line once again, this week no one was getting through. A long clearance kick from his own 22 metre line and the follow up tap tackle from Greer was to result in Lomond penalised for holding on, Hill slotting home to make it 3-7.

Don't know if Cumnock were just missing someone in there to take note of when the ref was playing an advantage, certainly from the shouts on the sideline they all noticed, and he was very generous with it and mostly in Cumnocks favour. It was from an advantage that Lomond got their next score, Hodge making the break but that wee bit lack in support alowing for a turnover. With the rule of the day being, no one was to get through the fringes of any breakdown, this was held with rigour, until just before halftime when the Lomond hooker went straight through the middle untouched 3-17.

Cumnock at the start of the second half were to introduce another two of the young guns Euan Cunningham on for the battered and bruised Cross and Tony Foster replacing Nairn. As in the first half pssession was similar, but territorial advantage was in Cumnocks favour, but as did happen in the first half with the goal line in sight they chose the wrong option.
With the wind advantage Lomond were relying on the boot upfield, but with Nisbitt switching on his fullback head and Foster following up his clearance kicks, Cumnock were well capable of a counter attack.This half looked like a no score, until near the end Lomond on the attack and the player bundled into touch by a metre threw the ball back in play for one of his teamates to score 3-22.

Thanks to Alex Dunsmuir for report