Endrick edge it

Sendings-off fail to deter Fintry outfit

Lenzie .............................. 20 Strathendrick ................... 24

Endrick snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a hard-fought encounter with Lenzie – despite playing large periods of the game two men down.

Having relinquished a 19-point lead in the second half of their opener against Uddingston last week the Fintry men were desperate to make amends.

Endrick made the better start and were 10-0 ahead after 13-minutes.

Kyle Campbell posted some early points with a penalty followed by a conversion after a Duncan McEachern try.

Lenzie rallied and the next quarter of an hour was fairly even, with Endrick defending their lead stoutly but conceding some penalties in the process.

All were for scrummage offences and the referee lectured skipper Campbell at length after each one.

In 28 minutes Lenzie had a penalty near the Endrick line and scrum half MacRea took a quick tap and dived over for a try which was converted.

Three points adrift, Lenzie pressed hard but Endrick’s defence was equal to their task.

Two minutes before the break Endrick prop Mark Scott was yellow-carded for a high tackle but the Fintry men held out until the break.

Five minutes after the break Lenzie made their numbers count and flanker Scoular went over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Their lead was short-lived because right after the restart Ruaraidh Doyle chased a kick ahead and was able to charge down the attempted clearance, leaving him a clear run to the posts. Campbell’s kick took the score to 17-12 in Endrick’s favour.

Mark Scott then returned to the action but within five minutes his game was over when the referee took exception to a comment.

The resulting penalty was kicked to cut Endrick’s lead to a mere two points, with only 14 men to defend it for the final half hour.

Midway through the half Scoular scored his second try to put Lenzie three points ahead and Endrick were hard pushed to see that it got no worse – but it did.

Jack Kerr was penalised for a deliberate knock on and yellow carded so Endrick had to face the final ten minutes two men short.

They did so successfully, even exceeding the expectations of the most optimistic fans.

Their 13 lasted the pace better than Lenzie’s 15 and had their reward when player-coach Neil Callander finished off a fine move with the match-winning try.

Campbell kicked the conversion to finish the scoring at 24-20 for Endrick.

Somehow the score was relayed to Murrayfield as a 22-20 win for Lenzie but that has subsequently been corrected. Even referees make the occasional mistake. Team: Anderson, Ross, Campbell, North, McEachern, Duff, Doyle, Gibson, Tacquet, Scott, Calderwood, MacKay, Kerr, Ogilvy, Callander. Repl. McLaughlin, McKay, Carswell and Beaumont.

Endrick are at home in a league match against Strathaven tomorrow, kick-off 3pm.

Endrick 2nds secured their first points of the season by default when scheduled opponents Oban Lorne were unable to raise a team for their match at the weekend.

This goes on record as a win for Endrick with a bonus point thrown in.

They will be home to Strathaven 2nd tomorrow with kick off at 3pm.