Lochaber notch up 52-7 league win over Cowal
Lochaber RFC were back to league duty on Saturday in the Tennent’s West Division 3 when they travelled down to Cowal. They had recently beaten the Argyll team 0-50 in the quarter final of the West Regional Bowl.
Cowal did not have a front row so the game started with uncontested scrums.
Lochaber started well and didn’t waste any time getting their first try after a great offload from Christopher Morrison put Matthew Bradley in for the score down the right wing. He ran it in under the posts to leave an easy conversion for Ryan Davies.
It was only a few minutes later when Koni Johnson, again on the right wing, got the ball back inside to Conor Taylor, who probably scored one of his easiest tries from 20m out as none of Cowal’s players even tried to tackle him as he ran in for the try, which Davies converted.
Scrumhalf Matt Murray was next over the line as he broke free and scampered down the left wing to score in the corner.
Davies made an impressive conversion from the side lines with the ball just creeping over the upright.
Lochaber had their bonus point after 25 mins when the forwards took the ball for a walk with a 20m-plus maul from a lineout.
The referee deemed the ball to be held up over the line but, from the resulting scrum, Cowal could not keep Taylor out after he picked from the base of the scrum to score his second try. Davies converted to bring the score to 0-28.
Lochaber took their foot off the gas after securing the bonus point which allowed Cowal to get a foothold in the game towards the end of the first half.
At the start of the second half Cowal’s new-found confidence and pressure was rewarded with a converted try. This seemed to give Lochaber the wake-up call they needed as, five minutes later, Jack Hamilton got Lochaber’s fifth touchdown of the afternoon with Davies converting.
Johnson was up next but he didn’t need the support this time as he broke two tackles on the right wing to score in the corner.
Lochaber’s backs were continuing to find all sorts of space and after the ball was shipped through the hands to Lewis Morrison, he made a big break down the left wing.
He was tackled inside Cowal’s 22 but Murray popped the ball up to Taylor from the ruck, who ran in to score his hat-trick in the left corner.
Taylor wasn’t done and his fourth try – and Lochaber’s eighth – came from a move on the right wing. Taylor then moved back inside making his way towards the posts.
Cowal’s players again didn’t seem to want to try to tackle him but when the fullback did come across, Taylor simply side-stepped him and left the fullback on his heels, running it in under the posts to leave an easy conversion for Davies. That was the final score of the game with Lochaber winning 7-52.
With Loch Lomond’s game postponed due to Cumbernauld having insufficient players, Lochaber now move top of their conference.
Lochaber have the next two weekends off with their 50th anniversary celebrations being held on November 9.
They will find out that day who they will play in the West Regional Bowl final with Glasgow University Medics taking on Birkmyre for the final spot.
Lochaber will be back in action at home with a topof-the-conference clash with Loch Lomond on November 16 at Banavie. Kick-off 2pm.