New update on 10th October after 06/09/09

Hi Everyone,

Only about 5 weeks to the sponsor day. Latest numbers are around 70. Latest names:

Bell + 2 pals

Doreen Findlay

Jim and Elspeth Mair

Spoke to Soupie yesterday and he is having a think about it as well.


Ists lost 12-8 away at Oban and were unlucky not to win (agreed I was there (tommy). Last year in the same fixture they lost heavily so there is a big improvement. Next week they play Paisley and should get a win at home against them.

2nds beat the Police 45 – 5. things are looking up on the playing side.

I have 20 people paid up so far and I really need to get payments in so that I can confirm the catering. Please send payments to me below or give them to Alex Dunsmuir or Tober.

We still have a few places left please pass the word.

See you all soon,

Morton

Cumnock chatboard link

Oban 12 Cumnock 8 Senior rugby report 05/09/09

Cumnock travelled to Oban for their first away fixture of this season. Last season this fixture resulted in a massive win for the experienced Oban side who have gained a reputation for strong and direct forward play. However, Cumnock’s young guns were encouraged by their competitive start against Strathendrick last week and were determined to build on this to record their first win.

Cumnock started brightly with some intelligent kicking pinning the home side back in their own half. Smart line out work made space for stand-off Kyle Johnson to kick across the field for winger Gregor McMillan who gathered the ball and shrugged off Oban’s despairing defenders to score in the corner. Johnson missed the conversion from the touchline.

This try seemed to wake Oban up with powerful runs from the large back rowers although their Cumnock opposites, Alan Smith and Stuart Hunter managed to cope with the increasing pressure. However, Cumnock caused themselves problems by giving away some soft penalties which made it impossible for them to clear their lines with a well organised Oban maul resulting in the equalising try.

The next spell of the game saw Cumnock putting pressure on their hosts with some good work from centres Mark Bennett and Alan Haynes causing their opponents problems, though they couldn’t break down the stubborn defence enough for a real scoring chance. Another positive for Cumnock was their much improved lineout with Paul Millar and Blair McMillan working in tandem to supply plenty of good ball for the young backs.

The second half started well for Cumnock with the referee finally spotting one of the many blatant attempts by Oban to kill the ball, giving the away team a chance to regain the lead. A composed Johnson slotted the kick despite the increasingly strong wind.

Like the first time Cumnock scored, this just seemed to spur the home side on and once again their forwards took control of the game as conditions started to favour them with the rain slowing the pitch and making handling difficult for the more adventurous Cumnock side. The home side benefited from the referee giving them the greater benefit of his doubt. Sustained pressure eventually led to Oban crashing over despite many heroic tackles from the smaller defence.

Cumnock rallied and a series of scrums deep in Oban territory led to Tony Foster and Scott Houston going close. However, robust defence as well as some impatience from Cumnock meant that Oban managed to hold on and clear their lines. Oban put their experience and size to good use as they kept the ball tight and played the clock down. The game ended in controversy as the referee finally blew for full time on a Cumnock penalty although, in truth, it would have been remarkable if anything had come of it as the penalty was awarded on the Cumnock try line, at completely the wrong end of the field.

Despite being on the wrong end of a narrow score line for the second successive week, the young Cumnock side could take a lot from this attritional game against a team who had expected a comfortable victory. Cumnock picked up a bonus point for finishing within seven points of the winners which was some consolation.
Man of the match was Blair McMillan for a hard working performance as well as an impressive lineout display

Team
Craig Greer, Paul Millar, Donald Hunter, Kevin Brady, Blair McMillan, Stuart Hunter, Alan Smith, David Kerr, Scott Houston, Kyle Johnson, Gregor McMillan, Mark Bennett, Alan Haynes, Tony Foster, Conner Nisbet, Graham Hunter, Craig McWhirter, John Ferrans

Next week, Cumnock take on Paisley at Broomfield, kick-off 3pm

Thanks to David Kerr for report.

Cumnock chatboard link

Oban Lorne vrs Cumnock league fixture 5 September

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Hello players and family. I hope you have all enjoyed the pre-season.

Are you planning to travel to Oban Lorne RFC on Saturday 5th September (only a week away). Cumnock RFC are running a bus there.

So if you like to follow our youthful senior team on this our first away league game, please contact Alex Dunsmuir or any member of the coaches/committee.

Chatboard Link

Cumnock 10 Strathendrick 14

Cumnock 10 – 14 Strathendrick 29/08/2009

Cumnock began the new league season with a challenging match against an experienced Strathendrick side who in recent years have made a habit of taking at least sixty points off Cumnock. This year Cumnock have a very young team with nine of the fifteen starters in this fixture only aged sixteen and this result showed that the side can be optimistic of a competitive league campaign.

The match began in almost perfect fashion for Cumnock as they absorbed early pressure from Strathendrick before securing turnover ball with which Cumnock’s backs managed to make space for Mark Bennett to beat his marker and sprint to the line unopposed. Stand-off, Kyle Johnson, added the conversion from wide on the right to give Cumnock an early seven point lead.

Cumnock used the wind to their advantage in the first half with intelligent kicking from Scott Houston and Johnson giving them excellent field position. Unfortunately a misfiring lineout meant they were unable to capitalise on this territory.

Strathendrick regrouped with strong running from their forwards keeping Cumnock under pressure although the defensive line held for a long time. Strathendrick were always going to make something out of this long spell in possession and the breakthrough came when their winger, former Scotland international, Rory Kerr, crashed through some weak Cumnock tackling to score under the posts. They added the conversion to bring the scores level.

The rest of the half was very tight with Johnson and Bennett both missing difficult long range penalties to give Cumnock back the lead. The game was perhaps best defined by a long spell Cumnock spent deep in Strathendrick territory, unable to force their way through because of robust defence and the continuing woes at the lineout.

The second half began well for Cumnock with the impressive Johnson adding a penalty to give his side the lead again.
However, the visitors used their experience and extra bulk to monopolise possession and the wind to kick the ball deep keeping Cumnock pinned back in their own half. The young team were determined to hold their slender lead with excellent defensive work from flankers Blair McMillan and Alan Smith backed up with strong defence from wings Alan Haynes and Gregor McMillan against considerably larger opposition meant that Strathendrick were consistently frustrated in their attempts to cross the Cumnock line.

However it is very difficult to defend for that long against larger opposition and Strathendrick eventually forced their way over with their captain crashing through from a few yards out.

Cumnock almost pulled a score back when Alan Haynes pounced on loose ball and kicked ahead only missing out on a score when the last bounce of the ball went to the chasing defence ahead of Haynes. Strathendrick used their experience again to control the possession, keeping the ball tight and not allowing Cumnock any chances to score.

Strathendrick were clearly relieved when the final whistle went having been given an almighty shock by the young home side. This was a game determined by very small margins and Cumnock were left to look back with a whole host of ifs and maybes. However a losing bonus point against strong opposition is not a bad way to start the season and the side have plenty of positives to take from this game into the rest of the season.

Man of the match was Alan Smith, having switched from centre to flanker and putting a huge amount of hard work into his new role, disrupting Strathendrick ball as well as contributing a high tackle count.

Special mention must also go to Steven Millar, a Cumnock coach who stepped in at short notice to referee the match after the original referee called off.

Team
Craig Greer, Paul Millar, Donald Hunter, Kevin Brady, Euan Cunningham, Blair McMillan, Alan Smith, David Kerr, Scott Houston, Kyle Johnson, Tony Foster, Mark Bennett, Martin Wilson, Alan Haynes, Conner Nisbet, Andy McCrorie, Greg Hamilton, Gregor McMillan

Next week the team make the long trip north to take on Oban.

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