Cumnock 13 Greenock 31

Report by Ian Park

On a glorious Broomfield day, apart from the odd shower, the Cumnock young team pitched up still shy of a full squad with 15 starters against a much bigger Greenock pack and squad.

Unfortunately the numbers game very quickly went against Cumnock as two early injuries inside the first 10 minutes made the game an uphill battle with the Nock down to 13 against a mobile 15 from the team from the coast. And all too quickly Greenock capitalised through their bigger pack by driving over from short to take a 0-5 lead.

Cumnock squandered an early chance to get points on the board but a penalty by Jack Reilly made amends a few minutes later to close it to 3-5. Greenock then managed to go around the outside of the Cumnock defence to take a 3-12 lead.

By now Cumnock were playing clever rugby and playing the ball away from the bigger Greenock pack and kicking for territory, they pressing the visitors deep in their own half that forced another penalty for Reilly to close the score to 6-12. It now looked like the 13 man Cumnock had the measure of Greenock, as they played territory rugby pressing the visitors line. Bradley Smith finally found space and powered over under the posts for the hosts first try, Reilly again kicked over to give Cumnock a 13-12 half time lead.

As one of the coaches commented at half time ‘We have a game of rugby on here’ unfortunately he didn’t realise his side was down to 13 men!!

The numbers game paid off for Greenock in the second half as they exploited the gaps in the Cumnock defence with the Nock defence tiring. Three quick trys by the visitors put paid to the hosts chances and with a couple of more minor injuries in the Cumnock team the Nock coaches called time on the game

At any level of rugby its not expected that any team will overcome the numeric advantage but for the first half the young Cumnock team manage it by playing an intelligent game with willing runners. The half time lead against a bigger team, both in size and numbers, should give the team a boost but its testament to the boys that to a man they were disappointed in the result.

If any 16/17 year would like try rugby they are welcome to come along to the training at Auchinleck Academy Astro on Thursday night 8.30-9.30.

Team: Glen Young, Gavin Gilliland, Robbie McLaren, Calum Park, Gregor Aitken, Thomas Bowditch, Jack Reilly, Stephen Robson, Andrew Harkiss, Jake Baird, Conor Hunter, Allister Elliot, Ryan McCrone, Greg Forbes,