Free scoring Lochaber leapfrog Cowal after impressive victory
Lochaber 58 Cowal 7
BT West Division 3
LOCHABER secured a comprehensive victory in their first home game of 2018 with a free scoring performance against Cowal.
It was also the first time the two clubs had met in the league, with the Argyll side coming into the match three points and one place above Lochaber in the league.
Lochaber started the game well putting Cowal under real pressure across the park. The home side’s lineout was performing well and was proving a good source of turnover ball with man of the match James Lucas regularly managing to get up in front of Cowal’s jumper to steal the ball.
Lochaber’s early pressure was rewarded by tries from Jonathan McCook and Christopher Simpson, both getting their first tries of the afternoon. Towards the end of the first half Cowal were starting to come back into the game but then an interception from Simpson ended a promising attack. A foot race followed over the following 60 metres but Simpson crossed the line for his second try before the Cowal defence could get back.
In the second half lots of errors were creeping into the game from both sides. Lochaber lost possession in the middle of the park and Cowal were able to get quick ball out wide to their full back who flew down the wing and scored right behind the posts allowing for an easy conversion. This was possibly the wake-up call Lochaber needed.
Conor Taylor made his return to the club after travelling overseas and it didn’t take long for him to make his presence known. Taylor picked the ball from the back of a scrum and went for a run, managing to evade four Cowal players before crossing the line.
Lochaber were back on the attack again but five metres from Cowal’s line they gave away possession. From the resulting scrum they went for a risky option feeding the ball out quickly for their fullback hoping to make some territory but the Lochaber defence were able to get there and make the tackle. In the tackle Scottie Diack ripped the ball clean from the fullback’s hands and with no defenders between him and Cowal’s line it was an easy try for Lochaber’s fly-half.
McCook got his second try of the afternoon from a wellworked backs’ move he was able to break the tackle putting him through to score again. McCook also converted four out of six conversions as Lochaber finished the game with a comfortable margin.
The win moved Lochaber above Cowal to fifth in the league. This Saturday Lochaber travel to Glasgow University Medics at Colquhoun Park, Bearsden for a 3pm kick off.