Clydebank 14 – 50 Birkmyre
Arnold Clark West Division 2
Saturday, 14th December 2024 – KO 2pm
Birkmyre rounded off 2024 with a convincing away win against Clydebank at the weekend by 50 points to 14.
The game was all but over in the first half with the visitors running in 6 tries from 5 different scorers with the second period proving to be a little more balanced.
It didn’t take long for Birkmyre to open the scoring. A little more than 2 minutes in, Birkmyre won a penalty 10m out in front of the posts. Electing to tap and go, the ball was worked wide left were skipper, Ross Moglia, pounced in the corner. David Cruickshank narrowly missed the conversion.
On the 8th minute, it was the turn of scrum half for the day, Lewis Higgins, to score. Clydebank were defending a scrum on their own 5m line. Birkmyre recovered the kick clearance 35m out. Working the ball out the backs, Paul Carruth made vital yards before being brought down 3m short of the try line. From there Higgins did a quick “pick & go” to score. Cruickshank converted.
Ross McDonnell scored next for Birkmyre following sustained pressure following a scrum, before Paul Carruth secured the bonus point with the 4th try in the 23rd minute. From the resulting kick off, Player of the Match, Owen Nicholas charged 40m down the pitch. The ball was then worked wide before Louis Hoodless picked up the ball on the 22. He charged to within 5m before the ball was popped to Ross Adam who went over untouched from short distance. A second converted Ross McDonnell try saw out the half with a scoreline of 38 to nil.
The second half proved to be a lot closer than might have been expected with Birkmyre making a number of errors during the early passages of play. Clydebank eventually broke their duck on the 57th minute. From a scrum on their own 10m line, their centre went 60m down the middle of the pitch to score under the posts.
It took to the 72nd minute before Birkmyre were able to extend their lead. Findlay Reynor capitalised on a defensive slip to grab the lose ball 15m out and jog in unopposed. Callum Moglia rounded off the scoring for the Kilmacolm side 2 minutes later. Big John Wilson recovered the Clydebank kick off and rumbled 5m before popping an excellent pass to Raynor.
The ball was then worked wide right where Moglia received a pass 25m out and broke a couple of tackles to score close to the posts. Clydebank, however, had the final say in the match, scoring with the last play of the game.
Birkmyre now sit in 5th place in the league on 25 points. Their first match back in the new year will be against 6th placed Irvine who are on 23 points.
Scorers:- Tries: McDonnell (2), R Moglia, C Moglia, R Adam, P Carruth, L Higgins, F Raynor. Conversions: S Cruickshank (5)
Thank you to Fiona Wallace for photographs from today’s match
Results for Saturday 14th December 2024 in Division Two:
- Clydebank 14 – 50 Birkmyre
- Carrick 22 – 24 Wigtownshire
- Cumbernauld 29 – 24 Waysiders/Drumpellier
- Irvine 55 – 19 Uddingston
- Strathendrick vs Loch Lomond / Helensburgh – postponed (frozen pitch)
Division Two league table:
Fixtures in Division Two: (all 2pm start times on Saturday 11th January 2025):
- Birkmyre vs Irvine
- Loch Lomond / Helensburgh vs Cumbernauld
- Uddingston vs Strathendrick
- Waysiders/Drumpellier vs Carrick
- Clydebank vs Wigtownshire
