Reds claim two points in cracking match
Linlithgow 29 – 32 Ardrossan
Saturday 25 October 2025
Report by Craig Young
League leaders Linlithgow welcomed Ardrossan to Mains Park on Saturday. Both teams are in form at the moment and the crowd were expecting a great game of rugby in the sunshine – and they were not disappointed!
Last week’s MotM, Ruaridh Stewart, was missing from the line-up and there was a surprise just before the game when captain Fraser Mochrie failed a fitness test and Kieran Cochrane took his place. Danny Park was called up from the 2nds as cover.
Archie Rusack has been a live wire all season – very appropriate for an electrician!
The home side were under pressure right from the kick off as the visitors threatened to score in the corner. Linlithgow fought off that attack and the next one which threatened the opposite corner, however it only delayed the opening try by another minute as Ardrossan scored under the posts, duly converted. Linlithgow were playing with a decent breeze so when a penalty was awarded her halfway Jack Frame fancied his chances, unfortunately his effort was way off target. Ardrossan were in full flow and it wasn’t a surprise when they scored a second try in the corner, the conversion going wide. Linlithgow were awarded a penalty when one of the visiting players must have said something the referee didn’t like and from the resultant line out, Euan Mochrie burst through to score under the posts, duly converted by Jack Frame.
Can’t keep a good man down! Euan Mochrie claims Reds’ opening try
Not long afterwards the referee produced a yellow card to one of the visitors for speaking out of turn. He wasn’t impressed and was heard to say to the home supporters as he walked past “I wonder which one of your players is the ref’s son”. Just after this Jack Frame kicked a penalty to bring Linlithgow within two points at 10-12.
Linlithgow were having their best spell of the match, but as often happens, the visitor’s 14 men scored next and added the conversion, then scored a penalty to increase the lead. As half time approached Luke O’Hara got the ball on halfway and scored a great solo try, converted by Frame.
Cool-hand Luke scored a brilliant individual try
Jack Frame had another chance to reduce the deficit with a penalty but this one was wide. The last play of the half was penalty to Ardrossan to take the half time score to time 17:25
Linlithgow had the perfect start to the 2nd half with a try from Ross Tulloch out wide, the conversion missed.
Hoochy dotted down the Reds third try
The next 20 minutes were pretty uneventful, with both sides failing to make any impression. As the half wore on it was the visitors who looked likely to score and sure enough, they did as one of their forwards crashed over the line. For those closest to the action, there was some doubt about the grounding but the ref gave the try anyway, duly converted. At this point victory for the home side seemed unlikely, but the Reds pushed on, keen to take something from the game. A penalty would give a losing point, a try would give 2 points. Linlithgow had 2 penalties in scoring positions which they declined with the sound of “take the points!” ringing around the ground. Fortunately on this occasion they ignored the advice of the crowd as Alfie Muir nipped in unchallenged, the conversion from Jack Frame was good.
Alfie Muir skips through to score the Reds’ bonus point try
Full Time: Linlithgow 29 – 32 Ardrossan
Reds Team
Front row: Calum McKeown, Kyle Ormond, Andrew Graham
Second row: Lewis McGill, Kieran Cochrane
Back row: Euan Mochrie (captain), Jamie Tulloch, Oscar Davies
Half-backs: Archie Rusack, Jack Frame
Centres: Alfie Muir, Murray Johnstone
Back three: Ewan Curran, Luke O’Hara, Ross Tulloch
Subs (all played):
Aiden Mochrie, Danny Park, Eioan Magee, Freddie Adcock
Comment
So, it was the best kind of defeat which earned Linlithgow 2 points and everyone seemed to agree that the better team on the day won, although both teams contributed to an exciting match. So Linlithgow lose first place and can now enjoy the cup game at Mains Park against Falkirk next Saturday (kick off 1:30pm).