Rusty Endrick are blown away

Mar 13 2009 by Jean Pedder, Stirling Observer Friday

CUMBERNAULD 17

STRATHENDRICK 0

ON SATURDAY Endrick had their first game in five weeks when they travelled to Cumbernauld for a league match.

Although they started well enough, before long lack of match practice showed and they rarely looked like winners.

Facing a cold wind, Endrick generally had much the better of things for the first quarter of the game. From the outset they moved the ball around smartly and enjoyed most of the possession between the 22s. Unfortunately for them, that was as far as it went and on half a dozen occasions in that spell Cumbie dispossessed them when they reached the danger zone.

The home side struggled in the set scrums and Endrick also cleaned them out at the lineout, taking the ball on Cumbernauld's throw five times.

With 30 minutes played and the match still scoreless, Endrick conceded a lineout on their 22. Another easy take for the blue and white? Not this time. Cumbie abandoned their unsuccessful long throw for a quick one to the front and a good, solid drive took them over for the only try of the first half.

In the second half Endrick struggled to catch up but by this time the home side's backs had clearly warmed up and the five-point gap looked more likely to be stretched than closed.

In 53 minutes the Cumbernauld pack added their second try and Endrick's game became rather fragmented. Frequent stoppages for injuries did not help. At one point we had the ludicrous situation of three Endrick players needing treatment after they crashed into each other while going for the same ball.

With 10 minutes left there was a glimmer of hope for Endrick when a long clearance kick was fumbled by the Cumbernauld full back with two Endrick players closing in rapidly. The referee immediately awarded a scrum to Endrick for the knock-on without waiting to see what advantage might accrue.

In the fourth minute of stoppage time Cumbernauld's inside centre ran through for their third try and the conversion gave them a 17-0 win.

ENDRICK: S McCabe (capt); S Emmerson, K Campbell, S Bastock, D Porteous; B Duncan, P Ainsworth; S Cuthbertson, S Forsyth, T McNeill, J McLaughlin, E MacKay, D McGuffie, M Braceland and S O'Brien, repl. P Emmerson, D McDonald and M Scott.

On Saturday Endrick have a league fixture at Lochinch against Strathclyde Police. The match kicks off at 3pm.

STRATHENDRICK 2nd18

EAST KILBRIDE 2nd16

ENDRICK 2nds fielded a strong side for Saturday's league fixture.

At the end of 80 exciting minutes the home side had done just enough to merit a narrow victory in a thoroughly enjoyable match.

Endrick's try scorers were James Cuthbertson and Gavin Callander, while skipper Neil McQuarrie kicked two penalties and a conversion.

STRATHENDRICK: D Beaumont; M O’Connell, R Mair, R Kerr, A Donald; N McQuarrie (capt), J Cuthbertson; D Spence, D Brown, S Campbell, G Yuill, M Gibson, B Greenock, B Holmes and G Callander, replace-ments G McAlpine, M Forshaw and D Riley.

On Saturday Endrick 2nds have no game.