Irvine 5 Cumnock 43

Report by Ian Park

As usual Cumnock stepped out on to the pitch the smaller of the two teams but as we have seen already this season that was never going to worry the players or the coaches, however Irvine making an unbeaten start to the season may have raised a few questions in the Nock ranks but with Cumnock also unbeaten there was only going to be one team still with the 100% record at the end.
Cumnock started with the wind at their backs and exploited the advantage at every opportunity but it was good running rugby that got the score board ticking over. Dale West opened the scoring from quick thinking and a quick tap by scrum half Aiden Kerr. The next score came quickly from a break and pop out the tackle by centre Calum Park to the supporting player Kerr to drive over the line. Cumnock were now well on top with the forwards retaining good clean ball and turning over a good number of rucks which presented the Cumnock backs time and possession to exploit the space to good measure.
Dale West ran in two further trys to complete his hatrick, all off good hands with Cumnock hardly dropping a ball. On the stroke of half time Cumnock reversed the play and fed Alex Smith on the right wing who had a bit to do to run in the score from 25 metres crossing the line in the corner. Park convered 3 from 5 to make the half time score 31-0.
In the second half Irvine, with the wind behind them came out more aggressively and matched Cumnock for much of the half before Calum Park ran through a crowd of players to score under the posts for the first score of the half. Conner Hill then ran in another for Cumnock on the wing from deep, Park knocked over the extra points to go 43-0 up.
But with 20 minutes left Cumnock looked to take the foot of the gas and Irvine’s perseverance paid off, with the Nock defence all over the place for the first time in the match, to score in the corner. While that completed the scoring at 43-5, Irvine broke the Cumnock line on a few more occasions, which didn’t go unnoticed by the coaches.
Another good win by the boys, again another fantastic effort by the engine room of forwards who are selflessly are setting up the backs to exploit the space with pace and good hands. The coaches were a bit concerned by the pedestrian end to the game but can’t praise the boys highly enough with the progress they’ve made in just one year. Also thanks to Tyler Wallace and Logan Naismith who stepped up from u15 to cover and didn’t look out of place in the team.
Team: M McColm, G Young, J Smith, D McCulloch, S Faulds, R McCrone, G Gilliland, R McLaren, A Kerr, G Balmer, C Hill, B Smith, C Park, D West, L Andrew
Subs: A Birrell, A Smith, T Bell, T Wallace, L Naismith