Jed-Forest 11,
West of Scotland 7
DONALD Miller smiled unashamedly even as he apologised. ''Sorry about
that,'' he said, ''but that was one we really needed to win. It wasn't
pretty to watch, I know, but it's points we are after these days not
plaudits.''
The Jed coach got both in the end, but if he was right in admitting it
was not an attractive match, it did not lack in excitement. There was no
lack of effort from either side but the Borders broadsword was too much
in the end for the West rapier.
Jed did not have the luxury of a settled back division, with four
wingers being utilised because of injury. Even Gary Armstrong was a late
call-off and that would mean adjustment in any team. Jed filled the
scrum half spot admirably, with Graham Renwick proving a similarly tough
combatant. An Armstrong still starred, for Gary's brother Kevin had
another outstanding match.
Armstrong and his fellow forwards seemed the hungrier lot when it came
to driving and ball retention. And in the line-out West's expected
contenders were no match for Alan Dunnet and Colin Hynd.
In the loose, West's Gordon Bulloch, David McLeish, John Shaw, and
John Lonergan matched the Borderers, but too often in isolation. The Jed
forwards did not rove alone.
Ironically it was a good forward ploy that brought West their score in
15 minutes. Fraser Stott took the ball back into a maul where McLeish
took it on, fed Bulloch and the hooker sent David Jamieson plunging over
the line. Colin Wallace converted and West were to stay ahead for
another 45 minutes. Chris Richards did put over a penalty for Jed in 22
minutes but it was not until the hour mark that Colin Hynd crashed over
after leading-up work by the two Kevins, Munro and Barrie.
There was no conversion so the one point lead seemed precarious. But
Jed were relentless and although West tried similar driving tactics late
on, the line of blue jerseys was not to be breached again.
In the last minute Jed's forwards had a devastating driving maul which
hurlted West back about 40 metres. Not surprisingly, West had to concede
a penalty and Richards with only his third shot at the posts sealed the
win. Such was the Jed discipline in their own half they did not give
West a single penalty attempt at the posts.
Jed-Forest -- C J Richards; S Turnbull, D R Hemming, B T Hughes, K A
Amos; G J McKechnie, G Renwick; N A McIlroy, K W Barrie, G Kerr, A T I
Dunnet, C J Hynd, K Armstrong, B Law, R M Kirkpatrick. Replacement -- K
Munro for Kirkpatrick (40 min).
West of Scotland -- A Greenshields; D Riding, A Bulloch, R Little, J
Craig; C Wallace, F Stott; S McGregor, G Bulloch, D Jamieson, S
McKechnie, G Perrett, D McLeish, J Lonergan, J Shaw.
Referee -- L D Crerar (Glasgow HS FP).
SCORERS: Jed -- Richards, 2p; Hynd, 1t. West of Scotland -- Jamieson,
1t; Wallace, 1c.
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