Match Report - West of Scotland v 1st XV 2-9-23

Tennent's National League Division 3
Burnbrae - Saturday 2 September 2023
West of Scotland FC 26, Orkney RFC 32

After a very well-attended pre-season build-up and a longer-than-anticipated journey to Glasgow, Orkney's First got off to the best possible start in the opening game of the new season, away to West of Scotland.

Thanks must go to the referee and West for allowing the kick-off to be put back 15 minutes due to roadworks through Glasgow.
The extra time gave the visitors a chance to get the bus journey out of their legs before the start of the game.

Orkney started well and made several early attacks into the West 22, but knock ons and conceding too many penalties kept allowing the home team to clear their lines.
With a dominant scrum, the pressure was eventually rewarded when the visitors received a penalty in front of the posts 20 metres out, which was slotted over by Connor Hancock.

Orkney were coping well in the 24 degree heat, playing some great, fast-flowing rugby, the new systems put in place by the coaches working to great effect.
A fantastic kick for touch by scrum half William Thomson set up a good attacking ball inside the West 22.
 
Orkney were awarded a scrum after West knocked on in the lineout - this resulted in another penalty from the scrum. A lineout on the five-metre line allowed Orkney to set up a good attacking maul, crossing the West try line for the first time, but the ball was held up.
West were starting to come back into the game with some big carries from their outside centre.

A couple of uncharacteristic squint throws from hooker Scott Rendall gave the home team a chance to set up an attack from inside their own half.
Choosing a lineout instead of a scrum due to the Orkney dominance in this area, the ball was spread quickly to the opposite wing who chipped the ball over the defence and sprinted to the try line. The try was converted and against the run of play, Orkney were 5-3 down.

Orkney were obviously rattled by this. West were gaining confidence and were carrying the ball well.
After a series of poor tackles from the visitors, the home team once again crossed the try line and this time it was converted, the home team now led 12-3.

Orkney stuck to the game plan and were unlucky not to score when they were held up once more over the try line.
Orkney were playing most of the rugby but unable to score. The big 13 from West was causing the Orkney defence problems and another missed tackle allowed him to make a fantastic offload which resulted in another converted try by West just before half time.

Starting the second half 19-3 down, Orkney put Chris Guthrie to outside centre, giving them another option to kick for territory and play more rugby in the West half; confidence was still high as Orkney were playing the better rugby, they just needed to convert this into points.
Some excellent kicking from Thomson and Guthrie was putting the visitors under pressure and Orkney were once more playing attacking rugby in the home team's 22.

This was working well and the first try of the day for the visitors was scored by Robbie Firth who had come on just before half-time for the injured Craig Brough. Hancock converted to make the score 19-10 and the comeback was on.
Things were starting to come together, confidence was up, the kicking game was working and Orkney were on the scoreboard once more, with a try from man of the match Scott Russell.

With the conversion missed, the score was now 19-15. The travelling support now believed that a win could be on the cards.
Orkney eventually took the lead with a Niall Campbell try, after West had given away a penalty on their five-metre line from an Orkney lineout.

Now 19-20 up, two further tries from Scott Rendall and Duncan Gray, and one conversion from Hancock saw Orkney's lead extended to 19-32.
The visitors' had scored 29 unanswered points in the second half and the victory was all but secured...or was it?

The home team were not finished and West replied with a converted try of their own, with only five minutes remaining.
A brace of yellow cards for Orkney made it a very tense finish to the game. Orkney went home the well-deserved winners and a bonus point to boot.

Still a few things to work on at training this week before the side welcome Howe of Fife, but an excellent start to this season's campaign.
Thank you to everyone who made the effort to come and support the team, and to Loganair for getting the team there.

G.C. / The Orcadian