Lomond rugby stars make another late slip

Nov 22 2007

LOCH Lomond were dealt another injury blow as they fell victim once again to a late defeat in a game they should have had sewn up by half time.

As the game kicked off in driving rain and terrible wind, it was difficult to see how Lomond could possibly prosper but despite the ball slipping like a bar of soap, Lomond somehow managed to ship it around with abandon in the early stages and after a fine break by Flynn, Williams burst through the gap and scored a fine try.

The conversion was missed but Lomond had other problems, Captain and playmaker Mathieson was forced off with an injury sustained in the build up to the try.

Lomond rearranged things and in spite of conceding a soft try when trying to mount an attack of their own, the home team regrouped and squeezed the opposition in every department and after sustained pressure they were eventually awarded a penalty which Nicholson gratefully slotted home.

With a 10-7 advantage at half time, it seemed Lomond were in a great position to build on their lead and for the opening 20 minutes of the second half it seemed another score for the men in claret and gold was inevitable, but heavy conditions and heavier opposition began to take their toll.

After a series of trademark rolling mauls, Cumnock finally broke Lomond’s spirited resistance and scored a scarcely deserved try and a missed conversion gave scant consolation to Lomond.

Unfortunately, as so often happens in rugby, a last attempt to run in score from their own 22 ended in an interception score for Cumnock, leaving the final score a depressing 17-10 defeat for Lomond.

Although frustrated, players can take positives from many aspects of their performance and with little more composure and more work on the training field those players absent on Saturday may now struggle to regain a starting jersey.

All players are urged to get to training on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6.45pm. New players welcome.

Loch Lomond: J Urquhart; S McGinty; A Mackay; T Caruthers; G McDermitt; D Nicholson; E Todd; C Norrie; A Flynn; G Matheson [c]; D Lockhart; R Paton; A Williams; J Thomson; A McAdam; S Dennison; C Lewsley; A Malia.