Reds Close Out 2008 with Another League Win
Linlithgow 22 Stewartry 3
A much improved Stewartry side travelled up to Linlithgow on Saturday 13th December and had a real go at the Reds, with some powerful attacking play. On this evidence, Stewartry will be a match for anyone in NL2 and it was only resolute defending by the Reds at the start of both halves that kept Stewartry from scoring. However, Linlithgow held off the visitors and eventually ran in 4 tries for the win and the bonus point. This was an important win for the Reds, as the top 3 teams in National League 2 all keep winning.
To twist that well worn clique, it was a game of two halves within the two halves! For the first 20 minutes of both halves, Stewartry were in the ascendant and Linlithgow were under the cosh. However, in both halves, the Reds finished much the stronger and got the points on the board. One of Linlithgow’s strengths this season has been the all-round tackling, exemplified by the young back row of Andrew Archer, Euan Richardson and Ross Martin, not to forget Nicky Cowan who came on as a second-half substitute. All four are aged between 20 and 23 and all four relish their defensive duties, scything down opponents and turning them over.
Linlithgow had made one change from the published line-up with Stuart ‘Chunk’ Cunningham coming back into the team on the right wing, with Gordon White moving in to centre alongside Mark Green, to replace Graham McKenzie who had withdrawn pending the start of his police training in the New Year. Graham will be a big loss as Club Development Officer, but our best wishes go with him in his new career in the Lothian and Borders Police. (The club has already started the process to recruit his successor)
The first 20 minutes were all Stewartry, as the visitors pounced on basic errors to keep the Reds pinned in to their own half. Linlithgow’s only foray resulted in a cracking try by right wing Stuart Cunningham. It stemmed from a classic break by Tim Meadows and although the move was stopped on the visitors’ 22, good support play released the ball which was spun the width of the field, for ‘Chunk’ to dive into the corner. It turned out to be the only score of the first half, despite a series of successive scrum 5s as Linlithgow turned the screw late in the half.
The second half was a repeat of the first, with Stewartry starting much the brighter and claiming their first (and only) points with a penalty to peg Linlithgow’s lead to 5-3. At this stage the visitors were looking dangerous and the Reds had to keep their wits about them to maintain their narrow lead. But, as with the first half, Linlithgow began to reassert themselves with some powerful forward play on top of aggressive defence, driving the visitors back into their own half. As the game entered the final quarter, Linlithgow turned the screw and two short-range tries from hooker Kevin Hope, driven over by the pack, secured the victory. Then with only a few minutes remaining, came the fourth try and bonus point, as Stuart Cunningham picked up a bobbled pass to slide in at the corner, making the final score Linlithgow 22 Stewartry 3.
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