Lochaber beat Lanark away

Lochaber travelled away to Lanark on Saturday, Lochaber were unsure if the game would go ahead due to Lanark struggling for a team all season, having previously only fulfilled four fixtures. However, they had a team meeting and had 28 players available for the game.

Lochaber travelled with a strong team and fron the kick off found gaps in Lanarks defence, however a turnover saw Lanark spark a quick counter attack and work their way down into Lochaber's 22 where they won a penalty. They elected to kick for goal and took the lead 3-0 scoring their first points of the season.

Lochaber reacted quickly a beautiful lofted pass over Lanark's defence saw Koni Johnson run in to score with Ryan Davies converting to make it 3-7. Lochaber followed that up with another try as debutant and man of the match Drew Dedula who had only just come on as a substitute after Lewis Morrison took a knock forcing him off through a ludicrous dummy that the defender bought and he ran into score with his first touch of the ball. Davies converted to make it 3-14.

Second row Kyle Graham was setting the tone in defence with some monster hits in the first half. Lochaber had Lanark under pressure looking for their third try but a knock on lead to a scrum for Lanark, in the previous scrum Lochaber had put Lanark under real pressure but this time they decimated Lanark's scrum forcing them backwards winning the penalty. Another knock on and another scrum just a minute or so later and the same result, another penalty for Lochaber. Then the referee blew his whistle for time off. Lanark substituted a prop off and said they had no front row replacements and said the game should have been played as a development game from the start but they had forgot to bring it up. The referee had left the pitch to talk to the coaches and then came back on to inform the captains that the game was now a development game and Lochaber were to be awarded a 0-28 win. Needless to say this did not sit well with the Lochaber players.

Lochaber refocused quickly and Jack Hamilton was in to get Lochaber's 3rd try with Davies converting to make it 3-21. In the second half Lochaber continued to have lots of success finding gaps all over Lanark's defence with their lack of games clearly showing.

Calum Boyd got the first of 9 second half tries for Lochaber after some strong running saw him break through several tackles. And the flood gates were starting to open as Ben Fulford stretched for the line in the tackle to score, Freddy Fulford had a darting run to score under the posts. Alexander Murray John powered over before brother Oliver Murray John ran in one on the tight hand wing before smashing through three defenders while dancing down the touch line to score his second after Lochaber won a lineout after Edward Murray John had put in a big hit on the Lanark winger driving him into touch, Davies then slotted a drop goal conversion from the touch line. Boyd got his second of the game before Davy Duncan finally got his try after receiving the ball near the half way line he burnt the first defender on the outside before cutting back inside surviving two high tackles as the referee played advantage to score under the posts and then converting his own try. The referee then called last play and Lochaber players were calling for one for try and it took less than 30 seconds to come as Christopher Simpson broke through supported by Finlay Ireland who was playing his last game for the club before heading to Sydney. Simpson then converted his own try to end the game. Boyd converted one try and Davies converted the other kicks to give Lochaber an emphatic 3-78 win away from home.

After the game the official score on the SRU website was 3-78, as the new rules variation called game in was brought in for this league at the start of the season the old development game rules were dropped so were not applicable. The game on rules state that the game can be played with uncontested scrums amongst other rules but that the final game score stands. The win moves Lochaber into joint 3rd but above Bishopton on points difference however Bishopton have a game in hand.