Published at 21:35, Wednesday, 21 March 2012

Kilmarnock 47 Langholm 28A TOTAL of 10 tries were scored when the much-changed team of Milntown men travelled from Langholm to Kilmarnock for last Saturday’s match.

The home side started the stronger with Langholm giving away two early converted tries after four and 12 minutes.

Langholm managed to reduce the deficit with two Niall Cubbon penalties. The second incident saw the home prop dispatched to the sin bin.

The home side then struck twice in quick succession within a five-minute spell when they attacked down the right wing and weak tackling allowed them in for tries, the second converted for a 26-6 lead.

Langholm managed to stem the tide of attacks and launched a counter attack.

After several pick and drives around the edge of rucks, play was held up just short of the home line.

Scrumhalf David Irving took a step left and then sent the ball out right to fly half Keith Davidson who spun it wide to lock Jamie Elliot who cut back inside.

It was then recycled and flanker Jordan Reid was on hand to pick up and dive over to score and Cubbon converted from out wide taking the score to 26-13 at half time.

The first 10 minutes of the second period was a scrappy affair littered with mistakes and penalties.

After Langholm secured a loose ball in their own 22 a speculative pop pass off the floor was intercepted by a Kilmarnock player and he was able to stroll in under the posts for a converted try.

It was followed up almost immediately by a further converted try when the Langholm defence was caught out. The conversion stretched the score to 40-13 and it looked like a bleak day for Langholm.

Entering the last quarter of the match Langholm staged a comeback, scoring three tries to claim a try bonus point and take something from the game.

The first came after some excellent passing between backs and forwards took play deep into home territory. Stuart Graham gathered at the back of a ruck to power over for a fine unconverted try.

Shortly after Reid added his second try in very similar fashion to the first, which went unconverted, taking the score to 40-23.

Kilmarnock managed to capitalise on a mistake late in the game to clinch another converted try before Davidson made one of his trademark breaks and wrong-footed several defenders with a weaving run before crossing the try line, rounding the posts to make the conversion easier. Cubbon obliged and added the extras.

Langholm: L Miller, R Mackay, S Nicol, N Cubbon, A Tyler, K Davidson, D Irving, D Divers, C Little, J Ratcliffe, J Elliot, E Turner, S Howatson, J Reid, S Graham.

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