Bishopton 17 Loch Lomond 35

LOCH Lomond turned on the style to secure their third win in a row, which should all but ensure their survival in the West District Third Division in the process.

Rarely this season have Lomond executed captain Dennison’s game plan with such accuracy and effect as Captain Todd and old heads McGinty and Gilmour ran the show and marshalled the defence.

The game started with Lomond mauling the home pack 40 metres towards the line before the pack prematurely downing the ball on the opposition five-metre line.

Lomond should really have put the first points on the board, but Bishopton engineered an escape and took a 10-point lead via a penalty and a soft try when their number 8 snuck through the fringe defence at a ruck.

The visitors were playing into a strong wind and secured possession through a tight driving game. Neil, Newport and Nicholson made the hard yards in attack and it did not take long before Lomond were again camped on the Bishopton line. Todd sensibly declined three points from a penalty and the quick tap allowed Urquhart to crash over. Campbell converted to make it 10-7 at half-time.

Lomond continued to play to their strengths in the second half with the forwards presenting well for scrum-half Bailey and Campbell kicking smartly for territory.

It did not take long before a Lomond struckbreak from Maitland and MacAdam secured good field position. The ball was recycled and the pack edged to the line before Bailey fed the backs. Campbell hesitated as an offside defender rushed him, before stepping inside and waltzing over the line for a try that he converted.

Lomond were in the lead and they started to turn the screw. Another break from the excellent forward pack allowed Drew McGinty to suck in 3 opposition defenders before he popped an outrageous pass out the back door to the oncoming centre who switched with young Scott Fullbruck who cut a line and raced in for his third try in as many games. Campbell converted and it was not long before he added another two points following a pushover try from a scrum which Darren Nicholson claimed. 28-10 to Lomond.

With pride clearly hurt in the Bishopton ranks, they ran in a consolation score, but no sooner had they done so than Ryan Campbell sold his opposite number another dummy and the Lomond 10 fended off the covering tackles to score his second of the game. Campbell then slotted the conversion giving him a flawless record with the boot and putting the polish on a 17-35 win.

Lomond raised their game for this derby, but special mention must go to Bailey, who excelled at scrum half for Lomond, and McFarlane who returned to the pack and hunted the opposition all game to great effect.