Cumnock / Kilmarnock Cougars 35 - Dumfries 15

All of the players that performed so well last season have been training over the summer and with the addition of some new players the team has looked well in training. With the new season kicking off next season with a Regional Cup competition this friendly match against Dumfries was seen by both sets of coaches as being a useful marker as to the progress made since May.

Dumfries pitched up at Broomfield on a blustery Sunday afternoon, full of the confidence that a run of wins stretching all the way back to Christmas brings. The game started at a frantic pace with the Cougars getting some good early possession. However it was Dumfries that scored first, their backs finishing off a fine passage with a score in the corner, which was unconverted. The Cougars replied with some aggressive running and great handling a support play across the team culminating in a fine try for Taylor Howie. The next passage of play saw the forwards starting to get the better of the larger Dumfries pack, ensuring some fine ball for the backs to work with. A typical run from Gregor Aitken saw him break through a gap in the Dumfries defence to touch down and the Cougars were then in front for the first time. Further excahnges between both teams were hard fought with no quarter asked or given and the crowed were treated to some crunching tackles. The home team were securing good quality ball at the breakdown and in defence the backs were closing down their opposite numbers therby limiting their attacking options. When in attack the Cougars displayed great handling skills right across the team, with flying winger Gavin Wight blasting his way through from twenty metres to score a well deserved try just before the interval to open up a 15-5 lead at the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with Dumfries getting off to a flier with an early try. The Cougars responded well again, raising the bar with a display of running and handling that older teams would struggle to acheive. Full back Thomas Bowditch was mcoming more into the attack and was rewarded with a score at the end of a break when he touched down on the line despite the efforts of three Dumfries players. David Smith add the extra two points with an excellent conversion from out wide. The Dumfries discipline started to waver under this onslaught and they gave away a number of penalties. The Cougars took advantage of this with winger Gregor Paxton rumbling through a number of tacklers on his way to another try, again ably converted by Smith.

The forwards wer putting a great at the coalface and in particular at the scrums. Even on the Dumfries put in the Cougars were shunting their opponents backwards and it was on such occaision that allowed scrum half Aiden Kerr to pick up and dive over from five metres out. Smith converted this from the touchline, earning the plaudits of team mates and opponents alike. The final word came from Dumfries, finally releasing their back line and running in a well deserved try in the final play of the match.

The Cougars were worthy winners and this result against Dumfries is a marker for what is expected of them during the coming season. Next week the team travel to Coatbridge to play Waysiders / Drumpellier in the Regional Cup.