Friday 6 October: Ayrshire Bulls v Southern Knights

It was the hosts who got the first points to the board at Millbrae after eight minutes of play. A pass out to the wing from the reset found the hands of Luca Bardelli who sprinted after his own grubber kick down field and there wasn’t a Knight’s player on the pitch who could catch him as he grounded the ball over the line. Brad Roderick-Evans’s conversion kick was successful.

The Bull’s added their second try quickly after their first. A kick from Christian Townsend sent the ball downfield where Thomas Glendinning leapt into action with a mid-air catch beating out Knights’ Donald Crawford to the ball and he raced to the try line. Roderick-Evans added the extras.

The herd of Bull’s forwards were unstoppable as they went for their third try of the evening with a powerful driving maul getting skipper Blair McPherson over the line. Conversion was successful.

Under the wet conditions both teams were unable to capitalise on any opportunities in the final 20 minutes of the first half, but the Bulls powerful start saw them lead at the break.

HALF-TIME: Ayrshire Bulls 21 – 0 Southern Knights

Three minutes into the second half and the Bulls were a man down after Luca Bardelli performed a deliberate knock-on and was shown a yellow card by referee Ruairidh Campbell. The Bulls defence held Southern Knights up at every opportunity and the visitors were unable to capitalise on the opposition’s 14-man team.

Ayrshire Bulls were desperately chasing that bonus point try but Southern Knights managed to keep them at bay for the majority of the second half. However, it was in the 69th minute after a powerful scrum and a kick through from Reiss Cullen that allowed Captain Blair McPherson to dribble the ball to the corner and go over the line for the try. Roderick-Evan’s goes four for four with his conversion kicks.

A yellow card for repeat infringements was showed for Bulls Ewan Hamilton-Bulger in the 77th minute as emotions were running high on the pitch.

The second half was full of impressive defensive work from both sides but the host’s dominant performance in the first half was enough for them to walk away with the win.

FULL-TIME: Ayrshire Bulls 28 – 0 Southern Knights

Referee: Ruairidh Campbell
FOSROC Player of the Match: Blair McPherson (Ayrshire Bulls)

TRIES:
Ayrshire Bulls: Luca Bardelli, Thomas Glendinning, Blair McPherson (2)

CONVERSIONS:
Ayrshire Bulls: Brad Roderick-Evans (4)

YELLOW CARD:
Ayrshire Bulls: Luca Bardelli, Ewan Hamilton-Bulger

Saturday 7 October: Boroughmuir Bears v Watsonians

The hosts began the scoring for the evening in the 4^th minute with a classic driving maul that got skipper Craig Keddie over the whitewash.

Another driving maul shortly after, this time for Watsonians, let them equal the score with hooker Jake Kerr touching down. Lee Millar’s successful kick brought the visitors out in front.

The next score for the Bears came when scrum half Kaleem Baretto picked up the ball and found the space to pass out to Alex Thom. The wing made a turning catch and slid over the line in the corner. George Paul’s conversion was good.

HALF-TIME: Boroughmuir Bears 12 – 7 Watsonians

The scoring for the second half got underway when either a badly timed catch or a slippery ball made scuppered Bears’ scrum half Kaleem Baretto’s catch and was caught by Watsonians second row Kieran Watt. He passed through his team mates who got the ball into the hands of Number 8 Kwagga van Niekerk who dived over the line. Lee Millar’s boot was successful.

It was a pack effort that got Watsonians their third try of the evening. After a series of pick and goes, hooker Jake Kerr finally managed to crash over the line for his second try. Lee Millar converted.

A penalty within the Bears 22 let replacement stand-off Jason Baggott to have his go at kicking. The penalty kick went over, adding another three points to the Watsonians score.

A successful line out close to the Bears try line let the hosts merge into a heavy driving maul. The ball was then passed into the hands of Zak Griffiths who managed to spin his way out of the maul to land over the line.

In the 79^th minute of play, Bears’ Joe Jenkins was shown a red card for taking a Watsonians player in the air.

FULL-TIME: Boroughmuir Bears 17 – 24 Watsonians

Referee: Keane Davison
FOSROC Player of the Match: Kaleem Baretto (Boroughmuir Bears)

TRIES:
Boroughmuir Bears: Alex Thom, Zak Griffiths
Watsonians: Jake Kerr (2), Kwagga van Niekerk

CONVERSIONS:
Boroughmuir Bears: George Paul
Watsonians: Lee Millar (3)

PENALITES:
Watsonians: Jason Baggott

RED CARD:
Boroughmuir Bears: Joe Jenkins