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Stirling County 2nd XV v's Watsonians 2nd XV.
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Saturday 27th October 2007. KO 1:30 pm.
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This week saw the 2nd XV make the short trip away to Stirling County. In what was targeted as a vital must win game if we were to have a realistic opportunity of retaining the 2nd XV title.
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Travelling up the M9 in a fleet of cars the team arrived in good time for the 1:30 kick off. Again the team showed a few changes from the previous week. 1st XV scrum half Eddie slotted in, pushing regular 9 Robbie Buchanan to inside centre, a position the man himself confessed he hadn't played in for a while (about 8 years was it?)
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Apart from that, the team retained a familiar feel. There was a welcome boast to moral when Guy Hills limbered into the changing room declaring he'd brought his boots and wanted to play. After a short consultation with Guy's wife he was given the all clear. A welcome return after 4 weeks or so out with an ankle injury.
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The game kicked off with the Wallace monument keeping a close eye on things. It was good to see some of the first team lads giving their support with Coach Mather keeping a keen eye over proceedings.
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The match started at a good pace with excellent intent from both sides. Watsonians played up slope and up wind. We absorbed plenty of early pressure and were guilty of giving away frequent turnovers. Taking the ball into contact, only for it to pop out and end up in hands of the Stirling scrum half. However out wide, Stirling were scrappy and a bit lose, unable to capitalise on this advantage and when they did get the ball wide, their big left wing was marshalled well by Stuart Mac who was putting in a lot of good defensive work and didn't give his opposite man an inch.
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Once we found our feet we started to play a bit of rugby of our own. Putting some good passages of play together, the runners got going with Moussa and Nick Hart enjoying having the ball in hand running at the opposition. Hart went close to going over in the right hand corner but alas was hauled down just short of the line.
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Stirling scored a well worked try which was inevitable after our defence was severely stretched and one of their backs cantered in to make it.
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7 - 0
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And this is what it remained to the end of the half. The troops were confident at half time. Despite a few of the boys being bruised and battered. Craig Sorbie was struggling with a knock and Robbie was having issues with new boots. We knew we had the wind on our backs and the slope. The message was clear, to kick ourselves into good attacking positions.
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The second half continued to be an intense affair. We were awarded an early penalty within kicking range. We happily took the three points, knowing it was going to be a close game.
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7 - 3.
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Frustratingly we made too many unforced errors. In particular our kicking from hand was inconsistent. Missing touch and gifting an attacking opportunity s for Stirling. However despite this we stuck in well with everyone showing tremendous spirit.
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With about 20 minutes remaining Stavie made a few changes, Woody was substituted at fly half. He had a good game and battled hard all match taking a few hits along the way. Hillsie replaced Burhill who'd been a real trooper all game being struck down by cramp in his calf after he'd scampered back to retrieve a kick and in his own words “I went down on the ball and when I went to get back up again I just couldn't.”
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At times we let ourselves get frustrated with the referee and this was typified by one occasion during the second half. We gave away an initial penalty, fair enough, however preceded to be marched back not once, but twice! For some sort of dissent.
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At this point things were looking pretty bleak and it felt we weren't going to get the rub of the green.
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With around 5 minutes remaining and with the score still at 7 - 3 suddenly we found ourselves deep into the Stirling County half. We won a penalty and sensibly opted for the line out. Which was successfully executed by James Fulforth who had a fine game in the line out. The pack drove well and were pulled down close to the line. We were starting to believe we could nick this!
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Stirling conceded a series of consecutive penalties. Deep into their half. We took a scrum and Craig Sorbie went very close, coming into the line on a great angle but was tackled short.
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Frustratingly we just couldn't get over the try line and full credit to Stirling who defended hard. It really did feel like the moment was lost.
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Suddenly we were awarded another penalty around the Stirling ten yard line. Eddie the scrum half took a quick tap and was tackled within the ten metres, rightly so we were awarded a second. Wrongly a second quick tap was executed and in a flash Sorbie cantered in from about the 22 line unopposed, as in protest the Stirling players had stopped in their tracks. What's one of the first lessons you learn in this game? Always play to the whistle. It was a huge stroke of luck for us which was sheepishly accepted. (For the less erudite readers, according to the rules, the second penalty was not supposed to be taken quickly. Ed.)
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As you can imagine all hell broke lose amongst the Stirling supporters with all sorts of "banter" being flown in the general direction of the Ref.
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If playing to the whistle is the first lesson you learn in rugby then, it ain't over till the fat lady sings is the second. With cries of "2 minutes left" coming from both camps, Stirling kicked off and put up a lovely kick which was cruelly knocked forward towards the Stirling players. Moments later the ball was in the hands of the Stirling left wing who beat a few of our players and was suddenly in a lot of space. He cut across field and floated a great pass off his left hand into the greeting arms of their right wing who finished the move off in the other corner. Leaving us literally on our knees at the end. We knew there was no time left. The conversion was nailed. The full time whistle went and we were gutted.
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Full time.
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14 - 8.
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Naturally the Stirling players and spectators were delighted. This was a big scalp for them and it maintained their unbeaten season so far...
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Next week is another tough game at home to Edinburgh Accies.
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RL
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watsoniansrugby.com
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Published: 29/10/07
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