Allan Glens 25 Cumnock 26

Cumnock travelled up to Glasgow for what was expected to be a tricky fixture but this didn’t prepare the small band of supporters for the excitement ahead.

A steady first 10 minutes from the visitors settled the coaches but with the score still at 0-0 the Cumnock game unravelled, a number of missed tackles gave the Glens the attack and constant handling errors gifted the ball and scores to the Glasgow team. Before the young Nock team knew where they were it was half time and in what must have been the worst display in many a season they were 22-0 down.

The coaches were at a loss to try and explain what they had just witnessed but tried eloquently to put their thought into words, many words and some were even in English.

With their ears still ringing from the coaches half time encouragement Cumnock started the second half brighter and more direct, passes were now sticking and the scrum and lineouts functioning well. Cumnock’s first score of the game came from Connor Hill getting on the end of a good string of passes to finish out wide, the conversion was missed. Another quickly followed by a similar route, with winger Dylan Lawrie completing a strong run for his first try, Alistair Birrell kicking the extras to close the gap to 22-12.

In a rare second half visit to the Nock half the Glens got a penalty and opted to take the kick rather than an attacking option to increase their lead to 25-12.

Cumnock were now finding space behind their opponents and continued to push them back into their own half. Further pressure on the Glens line found Gavin Gilliland picking up from the back of a ruck and somehow finding the space to stretch over the line, again Birrell added the extras make it 25-19.

With time running out the coaches were resigned to acknowledging a much improved second half performance. However, the boys had not given up and a break from their own half eventually found Bradley Smith out on the wing and in the clear with 40 metres to go. In what seemed like eternity Smith burst for the line, only to be caught just short with desperate high tackle. As everyone held their breath, the referee ran between the posts to award a penalty try. This gave Birrell the easier kick in front of the posts and with the last kick of the game he kept his nerve to slot over the extras to complete an unlikely victory 25-26.

It was an incredible turnaround and a pleasing one against a good Allan Glens side. The coaches were proud of the way the boys never gave up even after the first half horror show. While they have not played particularly well yet this season the boys seem to be able to find a way to grind out the wins, with plenty to work on the coaches are now looking for improved performances that they know the boys are capable of producing.

Team: Bradley Smith, Aidan Kerr, Glen Young, Ryan McCrone, Thomas Findlay, Kyle Farrow, Michael Anderson, Sean Houston, Scott Teece, Dylan Lawrie, Craig Willison, Gavin Gilliland, Robbie McLaren, Connor Hill, Calum Park, Cameron McGuire, Alistair Birrell