Loch Lomond Rugby Club give champs a run for their money

Apr 3 2009 by Marc McLean, Lennox Herald (main ed)

THE visitors sealed both promotion and the league title at Dillichip Park on Saturday – but had to battle hard to beat a fearsome Lomond side.

Lomond produced their best performance of the season to give the league pace-setters the fright of their lives, while GHK proved themselves worthy champions with a gritty display of fine tackling and attacking poise against larger and more powerful opponents.

Throughout the season, GHK have swept all before them by making the most of their mobile pack and twinkle-toed backs, but on Saturday they showed they are not lacking in bottle either by toughing out a victory against a rapidly-improving Lomond side.

After 10 minutes, a frantically back-pedalling GHK defence was forced into conceding a penalty, converted by Alec McAdam to put Lomond in front.

From the restart GHK mounted a series of increasingly potent attacks that were repulsed time and again by some ferocious Lomond tackling and, when they did finally prise an opening, Alastair Fairman made a wonderful try-saving tackle on GHK's full-back.

The visitors were having no luck with the boot either, sending three kickable penalties wide of the uprights.

If only Lomond could have held on till half-time, who knows what might have happened, but just as it looked like the visitors were starting to lose heart, they managed to force their way over the line from some quickly recycled ruck ball.

With the conversion nailed, the game reached half-time with GHK in front by 7-3.

The intensity level of the game in the second-half was even higher, but with the GHK backs starting to find their rhythm, the home side were gradually forced on to the back-foot.

From deep in the Lomond half, quick ball and even quicker hands finally earned GHK their second try – a lovely pass out of the tackle from the inside centre sending the winger over in the corner. The tricky conversion sailed over and, at 14-3 down, Lomond had a mountain to climb.

But the home team fought tooth and nail to find a way back into the game, and after some excellent rucking, Manus Flynn smashed over the line for a well-deserved try. For once, McAdam's boot let him down, but at 14-8 it was very much game on.

Agonisingly it looked like Lomond might just manage to sneak the win after they gained possession with only moments left and stormed forward but, just as their momentum was building, the ball was buried under a pile of bodies and the referee blew for full time.

There's little doubt that the men from Old Anniesland deserve their title. They've played an exciting brand of rugby throughout the season, but on this showing, Lomond could be in the title mix next season.

Next up for Lomond is a tough away fixture against Strathclyde Police.

Loch Lomond: Sakerski, C Norrie, S Dennison, Turner, Tilley, Thomson, Malone, M Flynn, A Flynn, Fairman, McFarlane, Nicholson, Mathieson, Todd, McAdam. Replacements: Malia, Lockhart, Law, I Norrie.