Irvine – 22
Bishopton -24
Tries; Roberston, Gevais (2)
Conversions; Catto (3)
Penalties; Catto
It has been a long Eighteen Months for the Gents First XV at Bishopton, a lot has changed since the team last pulled on the three cannons in their last outing against Birkmyre in March 2020. Long serving captain Bruce Abernethy had stepped down, after overseeing what can arguably be one of the most successful periods in the club’s history having guided the team to a league high of West 2.
Stepping into the arm band is former vice captain and the club’s highest points scorer for the previous three seasons Max Catto, who was looking to get his time at the helm off to a strong start against tough opposition in Irvine currently sitting two leagues above the Bish.
The weather during the warmup looked bleak with the heavens opening and giving the pitch a much-needed watering before breaking prior to kick off and staying dry for the duration of the game. Catto got the game off to a start, Bish got off to a strong start gaining a penalty early on from some early Irvine mistakes. But both teams were set to have a rusty day at the office as the eighteen months lay off came into play and you could see the muscle memory slowly come back to the fore front. Irvine gathered possession back through a penalty of their own and found touch deep inside the Bish 22. Securing the line out the Irvine forwards when to work crashing the ball up before one of the men in maroon found the much sought-after gap in the defence, crashing over for the try. The conversion was wild and well past the mark, giving the home team a 5 – 0 lead.
The intense defensive work that Bish have been working on over the last year came to the forefront in the next fifteen minutes as the Irvine attack was put to the test but they were met with strong opposition. The Bish finally were given a break when Catto received the ball in open play and sent a searching cross field kick to the wing were new addition to the team Euan Harkness collected the ball on the full and quickly transitioned it into a grubber through the Irvine line, only to see the ball cross the try line to be touched down by the Irvine fullback. This resulted in the first of the new Goal Line Dropouts of the game. This saw Bish force a line out and gather the ball back, this was followed with a series of penalties in Bishopston’s favour on the 5m line, but the Irvine defence stood strong as they were repeatedly forced back.
From here the game opened up a lot more with Bishopton starting to take the ball out past the Irvine forwards and move the ball about, the returning Glassford put in several of his trademark jinking runs from fullback showing that even though he is approaching a ripe old age he still has that key footwork to unlock a defence. Catto had the Irvine defence turning around on themselves with several well placed kicks into the back field and releasing a new addition to the team James McLaren from the back row to make a crashing run up the wing gaining a scrum in the process on the 5m line. With the game beginning to settle, the Bish scrum held fast for the first time of the day and the platform being available to let the backs work through some phases and stop the forwards from having all the fun. A further Irvine goal line drop out was resulted in. This was sent long and collected by Harkness who sent the ball flying back, but it was quickly recovered and with Irvine on the turnaround was sent wing to wing along the backline. Where it was recovered by Robertson making his first start in the centres and he showed that he still has that wingers pace allowing him to burn round the last Irvine defender to touch down in the corner. Catto stepped up and split the posts from the touch line to give Bish the lead, 5 – 7 Bishopton. And with this the halftime whistle.
The second half got underway with a trading of penalties going for and against both teams, but it was Irvine that took advantage of this first. Gaining a 5m lineout, and effortlessly getting the ball down and taken to one of the big forwards to be able to crash over once more, a strong start for the home team in the second half. The conversion once more was wide, Irvine 10 Bishopton 7.
The lead though was not long to last, as from the kick off Bishopton were able to work the balls to the backs and Gervais, finally being able to make his debut for the Bish having seen the weather deny him in pre lockdown. Took the opportunity of an open defence to place a chip over the top of the line and it looked like Taylor would be the first man on to it but was only able to get a foot to help it on allowing Gervais to pounce on top of the ball and get his debut try. Catto again stepped up and slotted the ball giving the Bish the lead again at 10 – 14.
With twenty minutes left on the clock the Irvine scrum came back into play, a strong push saw them get the Bish pack moving backwords, from the back of the scrum the Irvine forwards went to work and after a couple of phases they were able to get over the line once more. Again, the conversion was not on target, but Irvine had retaken the lead by a single point 15 -14. Bishopton went back on the march again and were given a quick succession of penalties, the second of which Catto opted to take the points on, slotting over from about 25 meters out. Edging Bishopton back ahead of Irvine 15 – 17.
Bishopton were then able to extend the lead that they had managed to get out in front with. A long thump down the pitch from Catto, saw the Irvine winger send the ball back and into touch. The Line out was secured and shipped to the midfield allowing Catto another opportunity to pin the Irvine defence back and turn them. This time it worked a treat as the Irvine fullback misjudged the bounce of the ball and let it bounce about on the 5m line, Gervais terroir like scampering up the pitch was able to beat him to the ball scoping it up and crossing the line to get his second of the day. Once again Catto split the uprights in what was a fine kicking display to send Bishopton 15 – 24 ahead with less than five minutes to play.
However, seeing the game out was not as simple as it would have seemed, as Irvine started to dig deep in the closing minutes not wanting to lose out to a team two leagues below them. They made it to within inches of the Bish line but gave away a free kick giving the ball back to the visitors, but a forward pass gave the ball straight back to the home side. The resultant scrum proved deadly with the Number 8 using all his experience to slyly work his way from the back and rampage the 15m between him and the try line pillowing his way over and this try was successfully converted moving the deficit to 2 points with Irvine set to receive the ball back with one final play on the clock.
Irvine 22 Bishopton 24, Irvine received the ball back and had one though on mind, pile the forwards up with the ball and get to the try line and it looked like they would mange it in the dying seconds, but the game plan seemed to change and they threw a Finn Russel looping pass to the wing. Fortunately for Bishopton Catto had spotted the pass coming and leapt up to secure the ball, quick thinking he fired the ball into touch.
After an extremely hard fought first match resulting in a unexpected victory the first Lorimers Man of the Match of the season went to Captain Max Catto, for an excellent display on the day and also keeping his cool when it came to kicking for goal.
The First Leaps and Bounds Glue Player went to James McLaren for an all-round great display in both defence and attack.
This coming week sees the return of rugby to Holmpark and the long-awaited return of the Renfrewshire Cup with Birkmyre visiting to get the competition kicked off.
