Grangemouth Stags notch impressive away victory to make it two out of two

By Alan Mackenzie

Grangemouth started well and were ahead after just four minutes. They were awarded a penalty and kicked to touch on the Blair 22. Hind secured the lineout and White crashed over for the score. Skelton added the extras.

The hosts then drove over for a converted score. Grangemouth hit back and should have scored on 19 minutes but managed to mess up a clear overlap.

However, try number two did follow a few minutes later. The Stags managed to steal a Blair lineout on the home side’s 22. Scott drove over with Skelton slotting home the conversion.

The home side kicked into the Stags 22 and worked a peel round the front of the lineout with their hooker squeezing in at the corner for an unconverted score.

On the half hour mark Grangemouth increased their lead as an unmarked Nesbitt slid in at the corner to score. This time the conversion was off target.

The Stags made a good start to the second half. Gemmell scored a bonus point try in the corner early on. Skelton was unable to add the conversion.

A few minutes later the Stags added try number five. Grangemouth took a quick tap penalty and Hind was on hand to receive the scoring pass. Skelton was off target again.

The home side kicked a penalty to reduce the deficit to two scores. As the game entered the final quarter Grangemouth stretched their lead with two quick scores.

White controlled the ball at the base before picking up to dive over for his second score. This time Skelton was successful with the conversion. Allan then ran round the cover to score soon after. Skelton added the extras again.

Stags again seemed to switch off and Blairgowrie were rewarded with two unconverted scores and a bonus point. However, with the final play of the game Grangemouth collected their eighth try.

Allan grabbed another score and Skelton slotted the conversion to round off an impressive victory.

Stags now face Ellon at Glensburgh on Saturday afternoon as they look to go top of the table.

Meanwhile,

Grangemouth Stags’ second XV picked up an impressive victory over Waid Academy last time out.Reece Russell, a graduate of Kelpies Rugby, along with Pete McDowell, Bailey McLay and Jonathon Morgan made welcome returns after extended absences.

In this fixture six months ago, Waid put 84 points past the Stags, however, despite the missing players there was an air of optimism in the visiting camp with a balance of youth and experience.

Ross Balmer nipped round the side of a ruck, throwing a dummy to open the scoring under the posts, with James Rutherford adding the extras.

Perhaps slightly against the run of play, but richly deserved due to persistent Stags infringements, the hosts reacted quickly to drive over from short range, their kicker adding the difficult extras.

Playing up the hill in the second half, the away side found themselves under more pressure but defended admirably to a man, repelling the hosts. The visitors were still winning the forward battle and from an infringement a kick to touch about 25m out led to a try.

Luke Quinn, who had an excellent day jumping, took a clean line out ball, pop passing to young Balmer who sold another dummy to dart through a gap in the line out, outpacing the defence before popping a pass from a last gasp tackle to that man Quinn to dot down. The difficult extras missed.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, Waid opted to box kick on from inside their own half. Ross Ferguson squeezed in at the corner for a fine solo try, while the extras were just missed.

This was quickly followed by a fine penalty conversion by Cammy Anderson to give the Stags a 13-point lead with 20 minutes remaining.

The hosts then scored from a wide area and a fine kick reduced the deficit to six points with 10 minutes remaining. Waid then scored next on 78 minutes, after a series of forward drives, scoring on the 15m line. Fortunately for the Stags the kick was missed.There was still time for the kick off which quickly led to a penalty for the Stags and the kick ended the match with the final score 19-20.

Meanwhile, the women’s side made it three from three for the senior teams for the second weekend in a row with a hard fought away victory against Livingston.

Try scorers were Amy Coyle, Paige Hannah, Jen Mccusker and Heather Innes (2). Innes also added three conversions.