Saturday 29th August 2009
Biggar 2nds 8 – Dunfermline 2nds 10
Let me set the scene. Firstly a handful of players making themselves unavailable on the 1st league game of the Season due to a ‘Club’ 3rds weekend away at Newcastle. Yes you heard correctly… A weekend away planned on the 1st league weekend of the season… Mmmm. Secondly several backs calling off after previously making themselves available. Thirdly a late 1st team call off resulting in a player being promoted to the 1st XV. And to top it all… 2 front rows calling off at the last minute… one who didn’t even feel it necessary to let the coaches know… This all points towards a disastrous first league game of the season.
Lucky this was not the case. Fifteen 2nds players boarded the Bus at McKane and Fifteen 2nds players returned with heads held after a great away result at Biggar. With only 5 backs available and 1 recognised Prop there were always going to be players out of position and this was the case with ‘Mad’ Al Galloway filling in at wing, ‘Shorty’ McDonald at centre, Mark Toddie at Open side flanker and Andy Buchanan slotting in at Prop (latterly Gregor Hutt).
Immediately following kick off with the wind at their backs the 2nds ‘away game curse’ reared its ugly head again with a very slow start against a well drilled Biggar pack. Some slack 1st up tackling resulting in Biggar making good ground and threatening to score at will. Dunfie as this stage were struggling at the breakdown being a yard or so off the pace and slack handling in close quarters leading to a lack of continuity. The Biggar pressure began to show and by 30mins Dunfie were 8 points in arrears. Dunfermline’s cause was not helped but the re-occurrence of Andy Buchanan’s Tourettes Syndrome resulting in a reversal of a penalty inside Biggar’s 22 (Tut Tut)
Some better set piece especially at the scrum allowed Dunfermline to gain a better percentage of possession and some good carries by both the backs and forwards provided Dunfermline with the belief that they could compete. A tightening of the first up tackling resulted in Biggar rarely threatening the Dunfermline line for the remainder of the half with a special mention going to Gordon Snowdon making some good chase and follow up tackles playing his 1st game for the 2nds. A missed penalty in Front of the posts was a blow to the boys following some good 15 man phases of played and a forceful claim for ‘TRY’ by Colin Stewart was not given when it was found that he had landed on the 5 yard line !! Half time arrived without any further scores.
No subs were used at half time as there weren’t any (cheers lads – you know who you are!) but Mark Toddie and Alan Galloway swapped Position to allow Dunfie the services of an out and out open side. This change along with better ball retention and more effective rucking allowed Dunfermline a real foothold in the game and the two’s were soon rewarded by a barging touchdown by captain Colin Stewart. 8 -5 to Biggar. Dunfermline were soon back in Biggar’s half however several back row blindside moves were blighted by the positioning of the referee. Dunfermline threatened time and time again only for possession to be lost and Biggar, sensibly using the wind, to kick play back deep into Dunfermline 22. Finally Dunfermline looked to have broken the deadlock after some patient work brought play to 5 metres from the Biggar goal line. From the resulting scrum, again solid and in the ascendency, Ross Blanchflower picked up well from the base of the scrum, did all the hard work to avoid the opposing back row only to be, what can only be described as ‘violated’ by the smallest man on the park. Ross, sure that he had scored, searched for the ball that was no doubt under his try scoring hands only to realise the Frodo had plucked it from him in the process of scoring. Further close calls came from a disallowed try by Calum McKenzie. Although too high in the initial contact Calum used his new found strength and aggression to cart three Biggar forwards over the line only to be adjudged by the ref as ‘held up’. John McEnroe would have been proud of Calum’s rendition of the old ‘you cannot be serious’ routine. Colin Stewart almost added to his tally for the day by being brought down inches short of the try line… Yes! It was the actual try line this time!!
Dunfermline battled hard into the crosswind but as time ticked away it looked as though it was not going to be their day. The final play of the game brought a ruck deep into the Biggar 22. The resulting series of close pick up and drives brought Dunfie ever closer. A feed from Jamie Smith to the ‘Screaming Skull’ – PC Stuart Roy allowed him to twist out the 1st tackle and stretch towards the line. Time appeared to stand still as the ball, grasped in one hand, slowly made its way to the try line. Would it make the line? Would it be dropped… No… Final play of the game and score given. A missed conversion brought the game to the end. 10-8 To Dunfie. A great result for the Twos despite the actions of others. No doubt equal and harder challenges lie ahead in a very competitive league but these will be tackled as they arise. A fantastic display by all fifteen players but a mention must go to all players who played out of position and especially Gregor Hutt and Andy Buchannan filling the vacant prop slot between them.
Here comes the sermon… For the 2nds to continue to improve we must have a full complement at both Tuesday and Thursday night training. In addition the players and coaches must demand a level of honesty and respect from all squad members which dictates that you make yourselves available for games where at all possible and update the coaches on availability well in advance. Picking and choosing games and late call offs cannot continue.
Starting Team:
- Andy Buchanan
- Gregor Hutt
- Murray Callan
- Calum McKenzie
- Stuart Roy
- Colin Stewart
- Mark Toddie
- Ross Blanchflower
- Jamie Smith
- Cosmin Popescu
- Alan Galloway
- Stuart Morman
- Ian McDonald
- Gordon Snowdon
- Alastair Hutt