Scrappy in the sun

With no 1st or 2nd XV fixture scheduled for Six Nations Super Saturday weekend, and the 2nds having had opponents call off all but one fixture late November, the club were delighted that Linlithgow were able to send their 2s over at short notice for a much needed run out. With players returning from injury and general rustiness, the fixture was very welcome.

The game kicked off under the unfortunate circumstance of uncontested scrums, with our visitors not possessing a front row, itself unfortunate given the options Leith had in this area and the resulting impact on the game, which was a scrappy one in more ways than one. Errors and turnovers were frequent, and both packs inability to exert some energy at scrum time perhaps led to plenty handbags and several running commentaries. The good news for the Scottish Rugby is that there are definitely a lot of budding referees coming through.

Linlithgow took an early lead with some good phase play setting up the backs to run through the hands for a try in the corner, before the game degenerated somewhat into the aforementioned scrappiness for most of the first half, Leith themselves guilty of giving away too many penalities at ruck time. Other points of note for Leith would be the lineout functioning well, and some good carries from George Nixon and Ian Young, and a length of the pitch break from Steven Eadie and Doug Watters, which eventually set up the field position for Juan Manakle to take a quick tap penalty to Paul Haggon, who crashed over from close range. Watters adding the extras for a 7-5 lead at the break, after the Linlithgow stand-off missed a last kick penalty in fairly spectacular fashion.

The second half saw Leith immediately fail to heed the half-time messages and switch off to a threat through the middle, Linlithgow's centre going under the posts for a 12-7 lead. The Reds stretched their lead 10 minutes later when Leith were again caught asleep at a penalty and a quick tap saw their scrum-half dive over in the corner for 17-7.

By this point Leith had made some changes and begun to control the game to an extent, but the hot weather was clearly having an impact on some tempers, and the rugby was patchy. Late in the game, Watters took a quick tap of his own and beat several players on his way to the line to bring the score back to 17-12, Wilkinson missing the conversion from out wide. Leith had a couple of opportunities to get the score to draw level/take the lead, but failed to control the ruck area sufficiently to maintain possession.

Good to get a game, and with the 2nds having finished 2nd in BT East Reserve League 3, behind Currie 3s, will hopefully be part of a league setup next season which provides a greater number of fulfilled fixtures.

Tries: Paul Haggon, Doug Watters
Conversion: Doug Watters
Man of the Match. Tom Lawrie