Wind and penalties batter Lochaber into defeat at Lanark RUGBY
Tennent’s West Division 3
Lochaber travelled away to Lanark for what turned out to be a disappointing result on Saturday in the first ever meeting between the two clubs.
Lochaber fielded possibly their youngest ever team with seven of the 18 players only 18 years old and the average age of the team only 20.
And without any props for a second game in a row, Christopher Simpson and Daniel Thomas stepped up to try their hand at playing prop.
In the first half, Lanark used the strong wind at their back to keep Lochaber pinned in their own half for most of the half and after 12 minutes had worked their way into the corner where they were awarded a penalty.
As the referee was talking to Lochaber players, Lanark took the quick penalty and instead of stopping the play as he was talking to the other team, the referee allowed play to continue.
With the Lochaber players caught off guard, the hosts passed wide into space and then forced their way over the line for a try from a pick and go.
Lochaber suffered an early blow when Andrew Bell was injured taking a blow to the eye in a ruck, the swelling causing his eye to close up.
The visitors had several big breaks but, frustratingly, almost any time Lochaber looked like they might threaten Lanark’s line, the referee had his whistle in his mouth for a penalty to the hosts.
Every time from resulting penalties, Lanark simply kicked into the corner gaining a lot of territory. From here they were able to work three more tries before the end of the first half by tying in Lochaber’s defence before working it wide to score.
In the second half with the wind at their backs Lochaber were able to put more pressure on the home side defence. Five minutes into the second half and Simpson hit line at pace and almost walked through Lanark’s defence to run in from over 50m.
Lochaber looked to work their way back down into Lanark’s 22 again, but as they got there, again the referee deemed Lochaber had made an infringement and gave a penalty to Lanark.
A few penalties in quick succession found Lanark deep in Lochaber’s 22 a few seconds later. Lochaber had to then defend on their try line for a couple of minutes and when Lanark did manage to cross the line the visitors held them up over the line.
Bizarrely the referee gave Lanark a penalty for Lochaber not releasing, when the law states that the game restarts with an attacking scrum five metres out when the ball is held up over the line.
From the penalty one of the hosts’ big ball carries hit the line at pace forcing his way over. Lochaber responded with another try eight minutes later when Jonathan McCook cut through Lanark’s defence to score out wide.
During a Lanark attack Lochaber managed to win a rare penalty and three penalties later they found themselves in Lanark’s 22 in a nice change of circumstances.
Lochaber’s backs were finding holes in the home side defence and it looked like the comeback might be on when, with 10 minutes left, Callum Boyd dotted down to score but then the referee brought it back for a forward pass.
That was the last real chance of the game with Lanark running out victors with a 35-10 win. Lochaber’s next game is at home when they host a strong Bishopton side on February 15, 3pm kick off.