Helensburgh Rugby Club pays the penalty

Feb 6 2009 by Laura McLachlan, Lennox Herald (main ed)

HELENSBURGH were left distraught on Saturday after an unprecedented penalty count stung them for a victory at Ross High.

At the final whistle, the penalty count tallied 18 to 6 in favour of the home side – leaving a question mark over the refereeing decisions which shaped the final score.

Burgh got the game off to a flier after a well-delivered line-out ball to Holmes saw him take off down the slope with his characteristic off balance running style.

After weaving some 70 metres through the opposition, he touched down for a fine solo try. He then slotted the conversion to give Burgh a seven-point lead in the opening minutes.

However, it didn’t last. From a set piece, the ball was put out to theRoss High stand-off who ran back inside and, following a number of well defended forward drives, the home pack finally rumbled over under the posts.

The kick was converted with 15 minutes played to level the score.

Inconsistencies in the referee’s judgement were now becoming apparent and the home side’s tactics of kick and rush, combined with robust pick and driving, was keeping the Burgh on the rack.

But Burgh dominated territorially and retained the ball at the breakdown as they worked ever nearer the Ross High try line.

A huge drive by Gibson from the base of the set piece saw him over the try line but he was held up and the referee immediately blew for a five-metre scrum.

Ross High cleared their lines but their kick was fielded by Rettie who ran back at the defence and released Phil Rogers who stayed on his feet in the tackle to make up further territory before being grounded.

The ball was then taken on by Inglis, supported by Joel Hammond, and at the breakdown, the referee blew for the second penalty of the half to Helensburgh.

The Holmes kick scraped over the crossbar take Burgh’s points tally to 10 and they continued to dominate play for the final five minutes of the half.

Ross High came out fighting in the second half.

Well inside the Burgh red zone, the home pack launched attack after attack at the Burgh try line but were repelled until their nippy scrum half picked up from the fourth set scrum to sneak over. This was converted to take the score to Ross High 14 Helensburgh 10 with 30 minutes to play.

Under continued pressure the Burgh were penalised for handling on the ground, and the Ross High kick was converted to further extend their lead to 17 points to 10 with 15 minutes to play.

Despite their best efforts in that last period, there was no further scoring and Burgh had to return pointless from a trip that held high expectations.

Helensburgh: A Roger, Rettie, Cairns, P Roger, Walker, Holmes, Campbell, Melbourne, McInroy, Drake, Sommerville, Hammond, Inglis, MacCrimmon, Gibson. Subs: Brown, MacIntyre, N.Sloan.