Lenzie RFC 27
Oban Lorne RFC 25
West Division 1
Following their defeat in the National Shield quarter final the previous weekend, Oban Lorne 1st XV players were looking forward to getting back to league business on Saturday with an away trip to Lenzie.
Travelling with a strong squad, the Argyll outfit were keen to step up to the job in hand.
In the opening 30 minutes, they moved the ball around the park with the forwards using their strength and the backs using their speed and ability to get over the game line.
The Oban outfit settled into the game comfortably with the first try awarded to Ewan Shearer who used his strength to get over the try line. Fergus McIntyre made the conversion.
Lenzie got themselves back up into Oban’s 25 and there was a penalty awarded for offside which was converted. This was one of several penalties awarded against Oban in the early stages.
The visitors dug deep and managed to get back down into the Lenzie 15 and again Ewan Shearer found the strength and determination to get over the try line.
For the last 10 minutes of the half, defensive lapses saw penalties creep into the game, something the Oban side knew they had to sort out before the second half.
A good talk from the head coach and captain during the interval saw the visitors more focused again in the knowledge they had a hard task ahead of them.
However, despite a few attempts to get the ball over the try line, the home defence kept them out.
Lenzie were then awarded a penalty which they opted to kick into the corner and, with a good driving maul, the hosts barged their way over for the first try of the second half.
Once again the visitors began to leak penalties and as a result the referee lost patience and awarded Radostin Maksimov a yellow card.
With just 20 minutes to go, Lorne MacLachlan got his break and scored Oban’s third try to put them within touching distance of a win.
In a nailbiting final 15 minutes, Lenzie were forced into stepping up their defence as Oban looked to cross the whitewash one last time.
The opportunities were there and it looked as if they would make it as the seconds counted down but, unfortunately, the ball was lost and the referee signalled time.
The remainder of Oban’s points came from a second conversion and two penalties from the boot of McIntyre.
The defeat was hard to take as the team knew that errors and too many penalties give Lenzie the win.
Oban Lorne have no fixtures this weekend, with the next game away to Annan on Saturday April 13.
Yes! I would like to be sent emails from West Coast Today
I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties, and will only be used to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated.
I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen.