Reds 2s seal third in league with fine win

Boroughmuir 3s  5 – 40  Linlithgow 2s

Saturday 15 February 2025

Report by Des Martin

After appealing to the players to ensure we had an adequate team on Thursday night, the coach was delighted with the response. Two senior players made themselves available – Mark Green, after being out for over a year with an Achilles tear volunteered to play in the centre, and Colin Devlin feeling guilty about leaving us short stepped forward to prop. Eddie Beamish also stepped forward before he heads off for a future career in the Marines. 

Dougie Thomson managed to identify four from Reds U18s who were eligible to play, Cammy McHardy (prop), Alfie Muir (back) Calum Hall (winger) and his twin Alex (wing forward) so this gave us three subs. Ready for action at Meggetland on one of the back pitches which was well sanded to say the least.

The Reds started slowly as we often do and Boroughmuir looked sharp nipping down the blind side of a ruck to score.  This galvanised the Reds and they all started to play rugby the way they have been coached through the club.  Setting up swift rucks and playing the ball wide. Alfie Muir playing at stand off saw an opportunity passing swiftly to Calum Hall who accelerated, cruised round the defenders and dotted down for Alfie Muir to convert (5-7). 

The forwards were beginning to get the better of the Boroughmuir forwards and were winning collisions and rucks quickly, Ross Findlater, Gabe Wlyie, and Jonny Pegg were leading from the front and assisted by Matty Sommerville, Alex McHardy and his brother Cammy. From a good ruck ball, Struan McLean gave the ball to Mark Green who acted as a pivot for Alfie Muir who glided through from outside the 22 to score between the sticks.  Once again Alfie converted to make it 5-14 in the Reds favour.

Alfie was enjoying running the show and was controlling the game well. From intelligent field position good interlinking play saw Gabe Wylie diving over. Alfie Muir converted to make it 5-21 to the Reds.

(It was Alfie Muir’s 18th birthday and he celebrated with a try and 5 conversions)

The Reds were now playing clever rugby keeping the ball down in Boroughmuir’s half and, from another nice move, Mark Green held on to a short pass to trot over for a try converted again by Alfie Muir. This brought the score to 5-28 in the Reds’ favour at half-time.Half time

Changes were made with Alec Hall joining his brother on the park. Eddie Beamish came on on the wing and Colin Devlin came on at prop. The game started again and Alec Hall showing tenacity, skill and aggression gained ground up the park and a good move resulted in Alfie Muir scoring again (5-33).   

Boroughmuir started to put pressure on the Reds line, but great efforts by all resulted in them being denied any more scores. From a penalty inside our 22 Alfie had the presence of mind to put in a perfectly weight cross field kick which was controlled by Mark Green showing silky soccer skills and picked up by Calum Hall who easily rounded the defence to score a fine try, which was converted by Alfie Muir to make the score 5-40, which is how it finished.

A delighted coach and players were very happy with the result which left us third in the league, only bettered by Heriots 2As and Stewarts Melville 2nds.

Thanks to all the players who turned out during the season. I hope you enjoyed and will come back for more, with potential friendlies to be considered before the end of this season. Big thanks to Alan Dowell for bringing and looking after the boys tape and gummy bear needs, and Phil Findlater for assistance at the games and for running touch.