Saturday 26th September 2009

Watsonians 11 v 26 Boroughmuir

Reporter: Simon Furnivall

Boroughmuir claimed a superb win at Myreside this afternoon, a side weakened by late calls-off overcoming a slow start to register what, in the end, looked a comfortable victory. Both prop Freddie Lait and lock forward Greig Scott had been injury doubts on Thursday evening and neither made the game, necessitating Lynton Brinck moving into the second row and young prop Nick Fraser, a fresh faced eighteen year old just out of the club's youth system, stepping up and making his first start.

The first half, played out in blazing sunshine, though the air temperature in the shaded stands still required jumpers and jackets all round, was a story of two halves. For the first twenty minutes, it was Boroughmuir's mistake count which was guiding the course, too often a lack of composure in broken field play – both attack and defence – was letting the home side control things, the sniping of Jamie Blackwood from scrum half benefiting most.

The hosts took the lead in only the third minute when 'Muir were caught offside at the break down thirty metres out and fly-half Mike Ker booted over the resultant penalty. Boroughmuir weren't helping themselves with some initially wayward kicking, a hangover from the defeat against Heriot's which was far from welcome.

That was soon sorted out though as 'Boom Boom' Ruddick got his thunderbolt right boot in range, effortlessly eating up the yards to win his side field position. In the ninth minute it had its effect on the scoreboard, 'Muir taking their field position and winning a penalty in midfield which Elgan O'Donnell eased between the sticks.

Those first twenty minutes certainly saw Jamie Blackwood at the forefront of the game, the former professional scrum half regularly gained huge ground as he sniped around the fringes, one occasion in particular – which led to his side regaining the lead – saw a clear seventy metres made after he quickly took a tap penalty and raced into the heart of the Boroughmuir defence. Watsonians won a penalty on the Muir twenty-two a few phases later and Ker drilled his effort between the sticks.

It was a credit to Boroughmuir's defence that Watsonians had not taken further advantage of the ball they had and crossed the line, but the visitors were determined to set out their stall with an aggressive defence, a defence which was typified  by Lynton Brinck, the South African at one point smashing the Watsonians attack backwards with such force that the impact would have been felt back at Meggetland.

Ker missed a third penalty chance just after the twenty minute mark when lock forward Mike Stalley was caught entering a ruck from the side, but he drew his kick left of the posts; and it went on to mark the last point in the game where Watsonians would really be on top of things.

The swing of momentum was signalled by, coincidentally, the last involvement of Boroughmuir's captain, Euan Matheson. The back row forward crashed through Watson's wide defence and went on a bullocking run, one that proved too much for his tender hamstring. It did set up a great attacking platform though, and 'Muir came within five metres of the line on the left wing, only to eventually lose the ball and give Blackwood the chance to clear.

Matheson was forced off, coach Fergus Pringle dusting off his boots and entering the fray – Brinck reverted to his more favoured back row position – and the veteran was from then at the heart of so much that was right about 'Muir's performance.

With six minutes remaining in the half, Boroughmuir got the try that they had been threatening for a good ten minutes, and it was Brinck, unmistakable with his short cropped ginger hair, who touched down. A superb kick from James Fish had won field position, and though Watsonians' quick lineout had more than a touch of the forward pass about it, justice was somewhat done just seconds later, the ball stolen in midfield and shipped out to Malcolm Clapperton, who swung a long pass out to Brinck, the now flanker having a simple run in for the score. Elgan O'Donnell added the extra two points.

A quick reply from Watsonians had to be avoided, and it was in the best possible style as, only three minutes later, 'Muir notched try number two. Stephen Ruddick had come in to the fly-half role from first phase ball and sent up a superb up-and-under. Clapperton chased hard and though the ball initially  came back on the home side, it was quickly coughed up and Pringle burst through the paper thin defence. Winger Rob Cairns, who had an impressive game, not least with some stellar second half defence, took the attack on and was hauled down just short of the line, but a quick and clean presentation allowed Joni Hare – who had taken over from Matheson at number eight – to pick up and dive over.

O'Donnell didn't have the legs for the conversion from the right touchline, but surprisingly he did for a long penalty with the last kick of the half. 'Muir won the infringement on the halfway line, and all assumed, with referee Rob Dickson indicating that it was the last play, that Ruddick would fire up his boot and take a shot. O'Donnell lined up the kick though, and in perfect 'crossbar challenge' style, bounced his effort off the bar and over for the three points.

The second half began with Boroughmuir showing all the intent, their style of taking the ball one out from the breakdown and hitting hard through the midfield defence  before then spreading the attack wide was paying dividends, although their execution was less effective in the final third than it had been at the end of the first period.

They added to their lead nine minutes after the break when, having perhaps passed up a try opportunity when Brinck drove for the line rather than passing wide, they were awarded a penalty for offside and O'Donnell sent it over from in front of the sticks.

A fifteen point lead was going to be hard for Watsonians to claw back, and they spent much of the next twenty minutes mired in a midfield battle, trying everything they had in their arsenal but at every turn finding the Boroughmuir defence nigh on impenetrable. The key to that performance was that the Meggetland side defended as a team, no one being caught coming up out of the line and leaving a gap, but particular mention should go to the staggering workload that Nick Fraser and Rob Cairns got through, time and again bringing down bigger and stronger opponents.

The hosts finally carved themselves an opportunity with only eight minutes left, a great break down their right wing brought to a halt via an illegal high tackle. With the ball only five metres from the 'Muir line, they had the perfect  chance to launch themselves back into the game, but one of their number took it open himself to suggest to Mr Dickson that the Boroughmuir offender should no longer be on the pitch, a suggestion that Mr Dickson didn't take to kindly to, immediately reversing the penalty and having a lengthy chat with the Watsonians captain.

At that point it really was game won for Boroughmuir, they had for the last twenty minutes adopted a style of simply playing the game out – a style that had done them well at Philiphaugh in the opening game of the season – and they again played it superbly. Watsonians did bag a try with only a minute left, Jonny Pelter diving over in the corner, though Ker couldn't convert, leaving the gap at ten points. To rub salt into the wounds, 'Muir restored their fifteen point advantage, with the final move of the match, winger Ed Mills reacting quickest to the restart and snaffling the ball, weaving his way towards the line before being brought down and presenting for Cammy Orr to pick up and dive over. O'Donnell missed the conversion but it had long since passed the point where such things mattered.

Having suffered back to back defeats against Ayr and Heriot's, and with a tough game against high-flying Currie looming next week, this was a superb – and vital – victory for Boroughmuir. Neither side was at their strongest, but it was the visitors who dealt better with their changes, and if they continue to defend with the commitment they showed today, then there is no reason to expect that 'Muir cannot replicate wins like this throughout the season.

Boroughmuir : Stephen Ruddick: Rob Cairns, Malcolm Clapperton, James Fish, Ed Mills: Elgan O'Donnell, Greg Cottrell: Nick Fraser, Shaun McMurchy Bronson Ross: Lynton Brinck, Mike Stalley: Ally MacLeod, Euan Matheson (c), Joni Hare. Subs Used: Dave O'Gorman, Fergus Pringle, Cammy Orr, Stuart McGee, Mark Hare

Match Photos