Cumnock / Kilmarnock Cougars 49 - Newton Stewart 5

Report by Kevan Aitken

The Cougars looked the liveliest outfit from the start and were unlucky not to score in the first couple of minutes. Fine breaks from Gregor Aitken and Ben Stewart were stopped short of the line and when Andy Harkiss carried over he was deemed to have been held up. Harkiss was not to be denied though and darted over between the posts from the resulting five metre scrum, with the steady boot of Jack Reilly adding the extras. Eight minutes later Harkiss was there in support to finish off a fine move from the backs and when Reilly ran through the visitors defence to score the game looked all but over after only seventeen minutes. To their credit the visitors dug in and created some chances but poor decision making and some fine tackling by the Cougars kept the home try line un-breached. Just before half time the ever alert Stuart McEwan was on hand to dive over from a ruck near the posts to give the home team a 28-0 lead at the interval.

In the second half the coaches made some changes but this didn't disrupt the momentum of the team. The forwards were putting in a great effort to win turn-over ball at the rucks and in particular Stephen Robson, Scott Faulds and Al McLaren were taking every opportunity to pick up the ball and go forward. Callum Bark also put in a tremendous shift in this his return match after a long illness and Robbie McLaren at hooker was winning his private battle with his opposite number in the scrums. With Aidan Kerr running the show at scrum-half the team ran through the various options, either keeping it tight with the forwards or releasing the pacy backs. Sixteen minutes into the half the backs broke down the right wing and a well timed offload from Reilly released Aitken who outran the defence to score round under the posts. Ben Stewart took over the kicking duties and added the conversion.

Eleven minutes later the visitors managed to get onto the scoresheet. A couple of penetrating runs took them deep into the Cougars half and from a scrum a clearance kick was charged down allowing the grateful Newton Stewart player the opportunity to score an easy five points. Stirred on by this the Cougars went straight upfield from the kick off and some interplay between backs and forwards ended with the ever present Harkiss popping up to score again for his hat-trick. The match finished with yet another score this time from winger David Smith, just back after an operation, scoring in the corner after latching onto the end of a pass from outside centre Bradley Smith. With all tries converted by Reilly or Stewart the final score was 49-5 in favour of the home team.

The Cougars have scored 205 points in the last four matches and have only conceded 31, with statistics like that they are a match for any team in this league. Their next game is away to Greenock or Cartha next Sunday (17th February).

Team: McEwan (c), R McLaren, Harkiss, A McLaren, Faulds, Lorimer, N Kerr, Bark, A Kerr, Reilly, Wight, Aitken, B Smith, Miller, Stewart. Subs: Elliott, Robson, Barr, D Smith, Hunter, McGregor, Howie.