Endrick are one step closer to Murrayfield
National Bowl semi-final place for Fintry squad
Loch Lomond...5 Endrick .......... 25
Tom Yuill Strathendrick are one game away from Murrayfield after winning the BT West Regional Bowl on Saturday in a comprehensive 25-5 win over Loch Lomond at Balloch.
They now face BT Caledonia League Division 2 Midlands side Blairgowrie in the BT National Bowl semi-final with the winners to play either Moray or Portobello FP in the final at the national stadium next month.
Loch Lomond were the onoy side to have defeat Endrick this season and although the winning margin might suggest that it was a one-sided match, both sides gave everything for the full 80 minutes.
The spectators were relieved that the rain had stopped but they still had to contend with a bitterly cold north wind blowing across the pitch. The players had to handle this and a surface that, despite the considerable efforts of the home side, was wet and slippery everywhere and with some very soft areas.
Endrick kicked off and immediately put the home side under pressure. The opening 10 minutes were played largely in the Loch Lomond half with their line frequently threatened. Stubborn defence and a couple of infringements by the attackers near the line kept the score sheet blank in that opening spell.
The first score came after 11 minutes when a carelessly high tackle on the 22 was penalised and Kyle Campbell kicked Endrick into a 3-0 lead. The next score came on 29 minutes when Kyle Campbell’s pass invited Ewan MacKay to take on everything in his path.
He responded with gusto and forced his way over to touch down for the opening try, converted by Campbell.
Play continued almost exclusively in the home side’s territory and in the last couple of minutes of the half Endrick doubled their score.
Campbell had an unsuccessful drop at goal but at that point advantage was being played and referee Andy Summers brought play back for a penalty on the 22 and this time Campbell made no mistake.
From the restart Endrick won the ball and when it reached Scott Ross he set off on a 40-metre run which left a number of would-be tacklers floundering before he dived over at the posts. Campbell added the extras and Endrick had a 20-0 lead for the second half.
The hone side made a determined effort in the second half to get back into the game and although they had a much better share of the ball than in the first period, they were unable to make serious inroads into Endrick’s defence. For their part, Endrick were more concerned in protecting a winning position than in adding to their score and the match was very much of a fierce slog in midfield.
Only a couple of minutes remained when the next score arrived and it went to Loch Lomond when Endrick’s defence nodded and the home side scored out wide. After the unsuccessful kick at goal there was just time to restart and Endrick made full use of it.
The restart kick was safely gathered and after 80 gruelling minutes hooker Stuart Forsyth still had the legs to take him to the corner for Endrick’s third try for a 25-5 win.
On Saturday, Strathendrick are away to Strathaven in a league fixture.
Endrick: Dunn; Ross, North, Moore, McLaughlin; Campbell, Doyle; R McKay, Forsyth, Scott, Calderwood, McEwan, Scott, Ogilvy and E MacKay. Replacements: Anderson, Carswell, Gibson, MacDonald, McEachern, Tacquet andVickers.