Stew Mel vs West Of Scotland FC, 16/1/10

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Squad

The Stewart's Melville FP RFC team to play West Of Scotland at Inverleith on Saturday, kick off 2 pm, is:

Delighted to report that there's a very real prospect of some rugby getting played at Inverleith on Saturday, with a combination of this week's thaw and Willie Purdie's groundskeeping skills rendering Pitch 1 playable.

There are a few changes to the team that started our last game, against Melrose at Inverleith on 12th December. Behind the scrum, Stu Ker starts at 10 and Rob Patterson at 9, while Coxy replaces Harry Boisseau on the wing.

In the pack, there's a completely new front row to the one that played Melrose, with Ross, Sam and Colin replacing Ek, Callum and Stath. Scotty and Ben fill the second row, as usual, while we are delighted to welcome Lewis Calder to the back row.

Lewis has been released by Exeter and will be with us for the remainder of the season - here's hoping he makes as big an impression against West as he did in our promotion decider against GHA last season!

There's one new face on the bench - Jordan 'Katie' Kynoch, making his first appearance in the 1st XV squad after some fine performances for the 2nd XV this season. Hope to see a large crowd down at Inverleith to congratulate him on this landmark - and to cheer all of our boys on to a much needed victory!

There's obviously a chance that the weather will turn against us before the game is played, so please keep an eye on the website for updates between now and kick off.

Mike Sims

Match Report

After almost a month deprived of rugby, the Inverleith faithful turned out in reasonable numbers for Saturday's home game against West of Scotland. With both sides fighting to avoid the drop, it was hoped that this match would be as exciting as it was important. And so it proved to be.

Stewart's Melville didn't take long to show their determination, and, from a lineout, they forced West into conceding a penalty that Stu Ker slotted over with consummate ease to give Colleges an early lead. At the first scrum, the Stew/Mel pack also demonstrated that, although they are perhaps lacking the experience of the opposition, they weren't going to be a pushover.

Early into the match, prop Colin Phillips had made a ground shaking tackle on an unfortunate West would-be predator. Colin's forceful tackling demonstrates his ever improving technical skill, and his commitment to his club is beyond doubt, with him opting to play for Stewart's Melville on Saturday rather than Scotland under-20's.

Also making an impression on the spectators - as well as the opposition - was Colin's fellow front rower Ross Merrilees, who looked really impressive going forward with ball in hand. And when, from time to time, Ross was alternated with his understudy at loosehead, Jamie Charles, there was not the slightest dip in the Stew/Mel pack's physicality.

With around 12 minutes played, during which time Stewart's Melville were on top, they then hit their - to quote Bill McNie - 'suicide button'. Colleges' subsequent sequence of unforced errors was eventually punished when West flanker Jack Walker went over for a try that prised away the fragile home lead. Soon, after some nice phases involving Blair Tweedie, Phil Hendry and Lewis Calder - making his return to the home side after a period with Exeter - Stew/Mel were rewarded with another penalty. The reliable boot of Stu converted to take the score to 6-5 in Colleges' favour.

Messrs Leathes and Brewster were looking mean and dangerous, playing some nice attacking rugby. And, as has been the case throughout the season so far, the Inverleith men are very much in control while going forward. To the delight of the by now vocal home support, towards the end of the first quarter Craig Marshall dashed over West's try line to drive home the Stew/Mel advantage with a fine try.

Having learned from the sports press that West had been holding judo sessions to aid their fitness during the festive season lay-off, our own 'sensei', Hayden Lingard, was on hand to show his skill with a few well-executed tackles. Undeterred, West continued to press home their attack, and it was their promising Scotland age-group scrum-half Murray McConnell (sadly much more of him later) who picked the ball up from a close quarters ruck to sidestep through the home lines and score an unconverted try, bringing the score to 13-10 to Stew/Mel.

West continued to make errors, though, and, when they went offside, Stew/Mel had another penalty. Stu, adopting a 'proper' kicking style for the first time in the game, converted to keep the home score tally rolling over and extend our lead to six points.

Adding to his fine work in the scrum and at the lineout, Sam Blackwood is proving influential in open play, and showed his increasing ability as a defender by chipping a dangerous ball from a poor pass late in the first half out of harm's way and into touch.

Although we soaked up a lot of pressure, West were still showing their fighting spirit, and, from a succession of well worked phases, they created an opportunity for their big lock Mark Jenkinson to cross for another unconverted try at the far corner, making the score 16-15. We hit back immediately with a most amazing display of ball handling and passing by Sam, Alex Cox and Richard Borthwick, the latter crossing between the posts to give Stu his easiest kick of the day and make the score 23-15.

A loss of concentration by the home side, perhaps in anticipation of Moff's half-time chat, allowed that man McConnell to inflict further damage from a quickly taken penalty by scoring a fourth try, earning a bonus point for West on the stroke of half-time with the scoreline reading 23 points to the home team and 20 points for the visitors.

Two minutes after the restart, the mercurial McConnell got his well-deserved hat-trick, but West again failed to get the extras.

With the score now 25-23 for the visitors, Stewart's Melville were still showing a lot of fight, and appeared encouraged when we won the ball when, rather uncharacteristically, Gordon Bulloch's lineout throw went astray. The home team then regained the lead from a penalty, again taken by Stu Ker, whose kicking was outstanding all day. One point ahead, and exceptionally good entertainment.

Hayden then foiled a certain West try by touching down a ball ahead of an advancing West player who was closing at speed on a miscued ball after a clearance kick by the home side. Stewart's Melville were still looking fairly sound and their supporters felt they might hold on - when it all went west. Within as many minutes, the men from Milngavie ran in three tries, two of which they converted.

The first of West's three tries was by their No.8 Graham Fisken, the second by Richie Dalgleish (who the home defence failed to even give chase to), and their final try - number eight in West's match total - came from prop Elliott McLaren. Admittedly, even after this collapse, Stew/Mel didn't stop trying. Debutant Jordan Kynoch came on as a replacement and played with the passion of someone who believed we could still get a bonus point.

Captain Borth showed his courage and was unlucky to have his late attempt held up, but then replacement Liam Steele took advantage of West's period of satisfied contentment to run down the flank and score the eleventh try of the contest. This was duly converted by Mr Ker and the game ended 44-33 in West's favour.

Although the Capital side were defeated and West deserved their win, it was in many ways not a great game, but a game that showed what Scottish club rugby is all about - a fine contest played in a most sporting and entertaining manner.

Scoring 33 points and getting nothing from a game is unusual. If, however, Stewart's Melville can keep our scores at this level for the remainder of the season, we will gather points and win a few games.

Stew Mel Stats

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