Penicuik 5 - 21 Leith 2XV

Match Report by Will Tuft

The table-topping Leith #2s made the surprisingly long trip south to face Penicuik Rugby in their opening gambit of the 2020 calendar year, looking to extend their lead at the top of the table by putting their second-placed rivals to the sword.

On a frosty, claggy and heavy surface in Midlothian, the early exchanges were tentative as both sides attempted to seduce the referee into their way of seeing the game’s proceedings, with the home side being significantly more successful with their wooing. Pencuik were unable, however, to open the scoring despite kickable penalty opportunities.

It became clear that the ‘joue joue’ attitudes of the Leith side were going to be the more potent of the attacking options and gazelle like breaks from a galloping Ben Scott and human wrecking ball Felix Palin set a front foot tone from which Leith based a series of dynamic passages, which culminated in a picture perfect set piece score for local adonis Ross Marwick. The try was characterised by hard running forward play from Michelle Crolla and totem Ben Place allowing the silken handed back line to caress the ball through the hands of George Lees, Jaime Aleson-Najera and Andy Barr towards Marwick and an easy run in to open the scoring. Shaun Guesford’s wand of a foot added the extras.

Soon after, Marwick was at it again, finishing off a series of carries, soft passing and sensible offloading in the leaden conditions from man of the match Stephen Baker, musical tyro Budgie Wilson and his front row stablemate Reece Barclay to open Leith’s lead to 14 with Guesford’s conversion.

The subsequent 15 minutes pinned the home side in their own 22 and the tidal wave of Leith attacks were repelled manfully by a physical Penicuik presence around breakdowns, with debutant doonhamer James Clyde unlucky not to grab his first meat pie, as he was crocodile rolled to stop a certain try.

The constant pressure on the men in red also increased the white line fever for the Leithers, meaning a range of individual and team errors limited any more scores in the first half.

The second half was a far more attritional affair, as Pencuik utilised a burgeoning wind and slope to pin the #2s in their own half. But the men in hoops were efficient in their achievements when entering the red zone, as the abrasive presence of Michael Hepburn producing a piece of NBA style screening ensured an easy weaving line from cramp-riddled captain Will Tuft to dot down and open the gap further as Leith reached 21 points.

The home side were not to be denied a score of their own however and bounced back with a strong downhill maul setting up a crash-over try to reduce arrears and add to the pressure on the Leith defensive effort.

The blue and white wall stayed strong with big tacking efforts from Wilson, Derrin, Robertson and returning Orcadian Euan Humphreys limiting the home side to the single try effort.

Leith continued to run the ball as much as possible in search of a 4th, bonus point score, and were hugely unlucky not to find it with the last play of the game when a collection of space inducing wide passes found university academic Ruari Morrison in space, he grubbered ahead, easily outpacing the cover defender, who was old enough to be his father and reached out to apply downward pressure in a manner that the referee did not feel was worthy of a try.

The final whistle brought proceedings to an end, with Leith completing the double over the Midlothian side, cementing their place at the top of East Reserve 3.

The victors now look forward to a visit to Corstorphine next Saturday, looking to achieve the double over a Cougars side who still have their eyes on promotion.

Leith 2XV 21- 7 Penicuik

Tries:
R Marwick x2
W Tuft

Conversions:
S Guesford x2
W Tuft