Jaded Reds slip to home defeat
Linlithgow 18 – 30 Whitecraigs
Saturday 9th November 2024
Match report by Craig Young
Saturday was a first for Linlithgow Rugby Club, as 3 brothers lined up in the starting XV for the first time ever as Aiden, Euan and Fraser Mochrie took their places watched by proud father Jim Mochrie. This was also Aiden’s very first appearance for the Reds. Linlithgow were missing 3 key players who had all been injured in the heroic cup win at Lasswade the previous week – captain Jack Frame, Adam Buckley and Calum McKeown.
Things started reasonably well as Linlithgow took the initiative and spent most of the first 10 minutes inside the Whitecraigs 22. They created a chance in the corner, but the ball was fumbled. During this period of attacking, Linlithgow had a penalty but went for the corner rather than kicking for 3 points. They were punished in the next play when Whitecraigs got a penalty in front of the posts and kicked it to take the lead. Linlithgow almost went ahead but again the ball was fumbled close to the try line. Linlithgow had another kickable penalty, but again went for the corner and wasted the opportunity. Linlithgow did eventually get on the scoreboard with a well-struck penalty by Conor Findlay following a deliberate knock on by Whitecraigs.
The visitors were now coming into the game more and were now camped inside the Linlithgow 22. After roughly 20 phases of play, Whitecraigs got a penalty in front of the posts, opted for the scrum and worked the ball nicely out to the corner for a try, the resulting conversion hitting the inside of the post and bouncing on the crossbar and over for a 10-3 lead.
Linlithgow managed another penalty to reduce the deficit to 10-6, only for Whitecraigs to score another try in the corner, the conversion going wide. As the half-time whistle approached, Whitecraigs should have scored another try, but the ball was knocked out just as the player was in the act of scoring. Linlithgow were looking tired and lacking the defensive effort they showed last week.
Half time 6-15
The half had only just started when Whitecraigs went further ahead with another try in the corner, the conversion missed (20-6). Although the game was slipping away, Linlithgow kept trying. Ross Plenderleith broke free and ran 30 metres but was tackled 2 metres short of the line as he desperately looked for support. Not long after, Whitecraigs scored yet another try (and with it a try bonus point) in the corner and missed the conversion (25-6).
Ross Martin brought some cheers to the jaded home support, going over for a try after some sustained Linlithgow pressure. The comeback was short lived as Whitecraigs scored another try in the corner, again unconverted (25-11).
In the dying minutes Ross Tulloch went over in the corner and the touchline conversion was successfully struck by Conor Findlay. With time running out, the Reds mounted another attack and were threatening to score, when a pass went adrift and was hacked down the park. The game ended just after the referee had to stop the play near the halfway line for a head knock.
Full Time: Linlithgow 18 – 30 Whitecraigs
There’s no doubt that this was a game Linlithgow had hoped to win. Maybe they underestimated their opponents or maybe their efforts at Lasswade last week had sapped a lot of energy, who knows. Whitecraigs, however, deserved their win and look a decent side. They made few errors and ran at pace moving the ball wide quickly and effectively in attack.
An important game against Hamilton beckons for the Reds in a fortnight’s time before they face Ardrossan and then Strathmore.
Linlithgow
Ross Tulloch; Luke O’Hara, Ewan Curran, Murray Johnstone, Ross Plenderleith; Conor Findlay, Archie Rusack; Andrew Graham, Kyle Ormond, Aiden Mochrie; Fraser Mochrie, Oscar Davies; Euan Mochrie, Jamie Tulloch and Ross Martin.
subs : Kieran Cochrane, Cammy Murrie, Eioan Magee, Stuart Cunningham
Match photos courtesy of Graham Black