Endrick fail to break Bankies

Jan 16 2009 by Jean Pedder, Stirling Observer Friday

STRATHENDRICK 0

CLYDEBANK 7

(SHE Bowl, round one)

HORRENDOUS weather dominated last Saturday's Bowl match at Fintry and both players and officials did extremely well to last out the full 80 minutes.

Surprisingly the playing surface did not cut up too badly but the overhead conditions made running and passing a lottery.

Endrick faced the elements for the first half and opted to keep the game tight. They probably had more possession than the visitors but they were generally in defensive mode and neither side had clear scoring chances.

With half-time approaching and the score still blank, the home supporters were confident that their team would get on top when they had the wind in their favour. That view was scarcely shaken when the visitors went ahead in the last minute of the half.

Bankies won a ruck well inside Endrick's 22 and when the slippery ball went to right winger David Miller, he had a bit of juggling to do but he kept it under control and drove over for a try. Ross Moffat kicked the conversion, the last action of the first half and Clydebank had a 7-0 lead.

Early in the second half the wind dropped and it looked for a short time as if Endrick would not have the benefit of the elements. However it was only a brief respite and soon the wind and rain increased in intensity. The Fintry men found the weather to be a very doubtful ally.

They continued to win a good share of the ball at the set pieces but when they tried to put it out wide to their pace men, the wind took charge and passes went astray.

Promising

Throughout the half there were some promising individual breaks but Bankies' with their noses in front were very happy to defend and they did that as effectively as Endrick had done in the first session.

In the end the match was decided by that single score at the end of the first half.

Endrick players felt that they could have taken something from the game but Bankies did all that they had to do to take them into round two.

Endrick: S McCabe (Capt); A Turner, S Bastock, R Mair, S McGill; K Campbell, P Ainsworth; S Forsyth, S Cuthbertson, T McNeill, D McEwan, J McLaughlin, E MacKay, M Braceland and S O'Brien, repl. G McAlpine, D McGuffie and M Gibson.

On Saturday Endrick renew their quest for league points when Oban Lorne visit Fintry. The kick-off is at 2pm.

STRATHENDRICK 2nds 10

CLYDEBANK 2nds 0

(2nd XV League, Div ision 5, West).

ENDRICK 2nds pulled off their second win of the season on Saturday at Fintry when they beat Clydebank 2nds. If anything this match was played in even more difficult conditions than the "big" match, their pitch being further away from the comparative shelter of the main buildings.

Defied

The home side had to face the wind and rain in the first half and did extremely well.to turn round with the score-sheet still blank. They went ahead after the restart when skipper Neil McQuarrie defied the windy conditions to kick Endrick's first points of the year from a penalty.

Pete Emmerson consolidated that lead with his first try of the season and his captain added the conversion to make sure of a winning start to 2009.

Endrick: D Beaumont; B Greenock, D McDonald, P Emmerson, D Riley; N McQuarrie (Capt), M Summers; M Scott, G Buchanan; G Yuill, G Scott, S Campbell, A Summers, B Holmes and C Jewell, repl. W Kay and G Davies.

On Saturday Endrick 2nds travel to Newton Stewart for a league fixture. Kick-off 2pm.