Mid Argyll RFC – 36 Lanark/Clydesdale – 33
West Division 3
The wait is finally over for a Mid Argyll win.
Last Saturday Mid Argyll played host to an amalgamated Lanark/Clydesdale team who have been playing well in West Division 3 so far this year.
Before the game, the teams and support paid tribute, with a minute’s applause, to club member Stuart Herd, the local artist and photographer who passed away while at the Rugby World Cup in France earlier this month.
Stuart will be greatly missed by everyone and the club wanted to show their support for teammate Robbie Herd and his mum Angela.
The game started with Mid Argyll receiving the ball and taking the game to the visitors.
Early possession was shared between the teams with neither being able to make any real progress until Lanark/Clydesdale saw on opportunity on the 10-minute mark as they went through for the opening try of the game, which was converted.
Mid Argyll didn’t let this affect their game plan, however, and minutes later Ethan Thomas went over for his first try of the match. Murray MacDonald converted for the extra two points.
The game turned into something of a scrum competition after that with the referee constantly halting play for various infringements from both teams.
Throughout this though the Boars kept control and despite losing the next try they quickly replied with one of their own when Matt Peden broke the defensive line and ran 30 metres to score. MacDonald again added the extra two points.
Before half time Lanark/Clydesdale added the next try but missed the conversion and Mid Argyll scored their third of the game when captain Daniel Broderick powered through a stunned defence to cross the line, with MacDonald again adding the extras.
With minutes left to go before the half time whistle, a penalty to Mid Argyll on the 10-metre line gave Coll Mackay the opportunity to open his scoring account for the day and he successfully added an extra three points.
Half time came with the Boars leading 24 – 19.
The second half got under way and Mid Argyll immediately looked to continue where they left off in the first half and piled the pressure on the visitors.
Excellent work through a combination of forward and back pressure saw Kyle Colville charge through the defence only to be taken down 10 metres out. The ball was quickly recycled out to the right where the backs had the defence scrambling to keep them out.
A breakdown on the line saw the ball come out to Thomas, who saw his opportunity and dived over the ruck to touch down for his second of the game. This time MacKay added the conversion.
Mid Argyll now thought this game was there for the taking and had the defence running left and right in a bid to contain them. Again, the backs worked tirelessly to create opportunities and press the defence back into their own 22.
From here, the forwards used every bit of their experience and when the opportunity arose, Broderick burst through the line to go over for his second of the afternoon. This time MacKay missed the conversion.
With 10 minutes to go Mid Argyll led 36-19 but a couple of mistakes and loss of composure allowed the visitors back in to score two converted tries before the end for the game to finish 36-33.
The final whistle came and Mid Argyll had finally broken their duck and got the much-deserved win they had been threatening for the last few games.
The bonus point win lifts Mid Argyll from the foot of the league to eighth, above
Hyndland RFC and Isle of Mull RFC.
The club would like to thank Argyll and Bute Council for making sure the Ropework Park was in perfect condition for the game and would also like to thank the Stag Hotel for the after-match hospitality.
The club would also like to thank the large crowd that turned up to watch and cheer the team on.
Next week the Boars take on Glasgow University Medics at the Ropework Park, Lochgilphead, with an early kick-off at 1pm.