Kilmarnock S1/2 47-3 Cartha QP S1/2

With the weather dry and pitch soft, the day was set for some good running rugby and the Killie boys didn't disappoint.

With this being an early season game, the coaches decided on 3, 15 minute sessions of play.

Cartha kicked off and Rory McMurry collected the ball on the bounce and attacked from his own 22. The Cartha defence stopped him at their 10mt line. The ball was quickly recycled and Grant Graham burst round the side of the ruck to drive deep into the Cartha 22. An offload in the tackle from Grant put Blair Campbell in for the first try wide out on the right touch line. The conversion was missed.

Cartha restarted and made their way to the Killie 22, however, their good work was undone by a knock on. With the ref playing advantage, the forwards, through Danny Morris and Alistair Clark, drove the the ball up field into the Cartha half. From a ruck the ball was spun out to the backs and Rory McMurry was put into open space by a deft pass from stand off James Blair. Rory outpaced the Cartha cover to score in the right corner. Again the conversion was unsuccessful

From the restart, aggressive defence from the Kilmarnock backs caused havoc in the Cartha attack. The backs created a turn over and Grant Graham scored from the Cartha 22 after breaking a couple of tackles on route to the line, again the conversion slid wide of the upright.

Cartha restarted, driving the ball through their forwards deep into the Kilmarnock half. Their good work was undone, again by a knock on at the wrong moment. As the ref played advantage, the Killie boys strung 3 phases of play together to suck in the Cartha cover. The ball was spun out to Blair Campbell who scored behind the posts. This time conversion was good.

From the restart an aggressive tackle from James Blair, resulted in another turnover which the Killie side exploited putting Blair Campbell in for another score under the posts. The conversion was good.

With the time running out in the first period, the Killie pack forced a knock on and from the resulting scrum, some good interplay between the backs and forwards put Blair Campbell in under the posts for his hat trick try. The whistle blew as Rory McMurry successfully kicked the extra point.

At the 1st break Killie 17 – 0 Cartha

At the break the Killie coaches rang the changes, the teams took the field and Killie kicked off.

Cartha went through a couple of good phases of play but a loose pass in their backs went to ground and Blair Campbell scooped up the bouncing ball and accelerated away for the opening score of the period. Rory McMurry successfully converted.

Aggressive defence by the Killie side drove the Cartha restart back into the Cartha 22, where they kicked deep into the Killie half. Full back Adam McIver, picked up the bouncing ball and ran it back at the on rushing Cartha cover. A side step took him past the first line of defence and he was held up by the scrambling Cartha defence He managed to off load to Jamie Shedden who tied up yet more Cartha cover with a good direct run. The ball was quickly recycled and spun down the back line where Craig Hunter carved through the scrambling Cartha cover to score under the posts with Rory McMurry converting.
The next score came from Blair Campbell, after some strong running by Craig Sheppard who picked up a Cartha knock on and drove into the Cartha half. Good support rucking by Kerr Borland and Scott Ullrich let scrum half Owen MacKintosh release his backs. Kyle Millar took the ball at pace up the left touch line, the Cartha cover managing to push him out of play 10 mts from the Cartha line. Some poor Cartha handling at the line out allowed Blair Campbell to pick up a loose ball and power over for a try. Rory converted.

A knock on by Cartha at the restart led to a Killie scrum. Owen MacKintosh fed Robbie Paxton who brought his back line into play. The ball made its way to Craig Hunter who broke wide to the left touch line where he popped the ball back inside to Kyle Millar who touched down for a try. Rory was unsuccessful with the extra point.

It really wasn't Cartha's day as good counter rucking from Steven Lee Dunn, Craig Hill and Taylor Scott gave Killie another turn over. Good handling from the backs put Craig Hunter in for a try, Rory hit the upright with the attempted conversion and the ref blew for the end of the 2nd period.

At the 2nd break Killie 35 – 0 Cartha

The Killie coaches made more changes and the game restarted with a Cartha kick off.

After a couple of phases of play Cartha knocked the ball on and from the resulting scrummage some good interplay from the Killie forwards and backs put Blair Campbell in for another try which was converted by Rory McMurry.

A loose pass in the Cartha pack was recovered by the Killie pack and off the back of the ruck Blair Campbell powered away from the Cartha cover to score his seventh try which Rory McMurry converted.

With Cartha tiring the next score was not long in coming, the dominant Killie pack forced another turnover and stand off Robbie Paxton spotted the gap and outpaced the Cartha cover to score under the posts. Rory McMurry converted the extra point.

However the home team were to get the last points of the game, with some good counter rucking and passes finally going to hand they managed to get their left winger away to score in the corner. The ref blew for full time as the conversion was missed.

The final score was Kilmarnock S1/2 47-3 Cartha QP S1/2

The coaches were pleased with the result and a with most of the facets of play, however there are areas to work on at training this week.

Any boy in S1 – 2 interested in playing rugby will be welcome to train on a Wednesday night, 6.30pm. at Kilmarnock Rugby Club, Queens Drive, Kilmarnock.

Kilmarnock Squad: James Baird, Aaron Boland, Kerr Borland, Blair Campbell, Alistair Clark, Steven -Lee Dunn, Aaron Graham, Grant Graham, Craig Hill, Owen MacKintosh, Coby Malcolm, Sean McCafferty, Callum McIlwaith, Kyle Millar, Daniel Morris, David Orr, Robert Paxton, Joe Pettigrew, Taylor Scott, Jamie Shedden, Craig Sheppard, Scott Ullrich, Jonathan Walker and Blair Wilson.