Oban blasted by top form Endrick

Jan 23 2009 by Jean Pedder, Stirling Observer Friday

STRATHENDRICK 36

OBAN LORNE 0

(SHE West League,Division One)

FOR the second successive week a gale force wind played a big part in determining how the match at Fintry would be played.

Endrick with the gusts behind them started off as if they meant to blow Oban away and they had two good scoring opportunities in the opening minutes.

Twice two or three man overlaps were ignored with the ball carriers perhaps mindful of the passing problems caused by the elements in the previous game.

It mattered not a lot for the pressure paid off in four minutes. From a five-metre scrum Steven O'Brien executed a tidy Number eight pick up and made it to the line despite the best efforts of half the Oban pack. Kyle Campbell added the points for the conversion.

The Fintry men kept it up and in 12 minutes added a second try, Steven O'Brien again featuring. O'Brien won the ball 20 metres out and broke three tackles before handing on to Mark Gibson who celebrated his return to the side with his first try of the season.

It looked to be a comparatively straightforward kick for on-form Kyle Campbell but the freakish wind took charge and the attempted conversion hit an upright and stayed out.

Three minutes later Kyle Campbell showed he had put that miss behind him when he breezed down the line to score Endrick's third try. He then confirmed that his kicking form had not deserted him by goaling from near the touchline.

With quarter of an hour played and Endrick were already 19-0 ahead.

That rate of scoring could not be sustained because Oban were not a bad side.The home team continued to dictate play and had some chances but Lorne defended well and 33 minutes had gone before they conceded another score.

A chase over the visitors' line was won by their fullback but the resultant drop-out was collected by Scott McCabe who raced through the visitors' ranks for Endrick's fourth try. Kyle Campbell added the extras.

Excellent

The one-way traffic continued and in the last minute of the half Endrick scored what was probably the best of their five excellent first half tries.

The ball passed through umpteen pairs of hands as they probed for a gap before the way to the line opened up for Bruce Duncan to score at the corner.

That gave Endrick a 31-0 lead at the break and the state of the pitch gave an accurate indication of how the game had gone. The north half was well cut up while the end nearest the clubhouse had not a mark on it.

The wind's influence on the game might be judged from the fact that the difference between the two halves of the pitch remained the same for the next 20 minutes.

Oban piled on the pressure and Endrick were forced to show their defensive skills.

They are pretty adept in this role although the tendency to stray offside sometimes causes anxiety. They survived without loss and in the 22nd minute of the half crossed the halfway for the first time!

Steven Bastock embarked on a fine run that took him past a couple of defenders but when he tried to follow up a high kick he was taken out very late by an enthusiastic opponent who was immediately shown a yellow card.

Fourth

That more or less put an end to Oban's effort and ten minutes from the end Steven O'Brien's second try signed off what had been a good afternoon for him and his mates.

Endrick are now in fourth place, a single point behind Cumbernauld.

The sides meet home and away in March in what should be rousing encounters.

Endrick: S McCabe (Capt); K Campbell, S Bastock, T Whitaker, R Mair; B Duncan, P Ainsworth; S Cuthbertson, S Forsyth, T McNeill, M Gibson, J McLaughlin, E MacKay, D McGuffie and S O'Brien, repl. M Braceland, D Spence and D McDonald.

On Saturday Endrick are again at home in a league fixture when Loch Lomond provide the opposition. The kick-off is at 2pm.

Endrick 2nds league match at Bladnoch was cancelled but they hope to take the field on Saturday against Greenock Wanderers 2nds in a league fixture at Fintry. The kick-off is at 2pm.