Wigtownshire RFC’s tough start to the 2024-25 Men's Shield campaign continued with a heavy 33-5 defeat to East Kilbride RFC in round two. Despite some early promise and strong individual performances, Wigtownshire struggled to maintain discipline and cope with the physicality of their higher-league opponents.

Early Exchange Favors East Kilbride
East Kilbride were quick to capitalize on a penalty within the first minute after Wigtownshire were caught not rolling away at the ruck. The home side's kicker made no mistake from 40 metres, giving East Kilbride an early 3-0 lead.

However, Wigtownshire responded with a spirited display and took control of the match at the 10-minute mark. Following a sustained period of pressure on the East Kilbride try line, it was fly-half Frank Gwynne who darted round the ruck to score the opening try of the match. The conversion attempt was narrowly missed, but Wigtownshire had their noses in front, 3-5.

Missed Opportunities and Rising East Kilbride Pressure
A key moment came at the 20-minute mark when Wigtownshire were awarded a penalty just 5 metres from the East Kilbride try line. Mark Pirrie seemed set to bulldoze through the home defence, but the referee ruled the ball had been held up. This decision appeared to deflate the visitors, while East Kilbride seized the momentum.

With Wigtownshire then caught offside at the 30-minute mark, East Kilbride added a simple penalty to extend their lead to 6-5. By the 39th minute, East Kilbride’s powerful pack asserted their dominance with a rolling maul that Wigtownshire could not stop, bringing the half-time score to 11-5 in favor of the hosts.

Second Half Struggles for Wigtownshire
The second half saw East Kilbride press home their advantage, with a dominant scrum pushing Wigtownshire back. At the 50-minute mark, East Kilbride's forwards powered over the line for a try, extending their lead to 16-5. Wigtownshire struggled to cope with the superior set-piece play, especially in the scrums, where East Kilbride enjoyed a significant advantage.

East Kilbride added another try at the 55-minute mark after opting for a scrum just 10 metres out from the Wigtownshire line. The scrum collapsed, but East Kilbride’s prop was quick to react, picking up the loose ball and bulldozing over the line to make it 21-5.

East Kilbride Pull Away in Final Quarter
The final 15 minutes saw East Kilbride stamp their authority on the game. At 65 minutes, their fullback made a clever chip over the Wigtownshire defence, allowing the winger to catch and score in the corner. The successful conversion made it 28-5.

With Wigtownshire tiring, East Kilbride added a final try in the 75th minute. From a scrum, the ball was worked out to the back, where a switch move with the stand-off and winger set up the fullback for a try in the corner, which made the final score 33-5.

Man of the Match – Neil Forsyth
Despite the tough result, Wigtownshire’s fullback, Neil Forsyth, was named the Leswalt Village Store Man of the Match for his outstanding performance under pressure. Forsyth dealt with everything East Kilbride threw at him in the air, returning kicks with pace and making important ground when carrying the ball.

Coach’s Thoughts
Coach John Dalrymple was reflective in his post-match comments. "I think we had a very positive first half on the whole, but when you’re playing a good side like East Kilbride, it’s crucial to stay on top of your discipline. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do that, and we were punished for it. We need to regroup, learn from this experience, and focus on our next game."

Looking Ahead
Wigtownshire will take on Birkmyre RFC at home next Saturday, following the international break, in what will be their final home game before the Christmas break. With new faces like Jack McConnell and Connor Caughie making their senior debuts, the team will be hoping to bounce back and build on the lessons learned from this challenging encounter.

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N. Forsyth, S. Forsyth (c), R Hopcroft, B Brown, S McCauley, B. Forsyth, F. Gwynne, I. Allan, C Keith, M. Pirrie, B Sharples, F Crean A. McClymont, J McGarvie, K. Smith
Impact player: J Farquhar, J Patterson, J McKie, J McConnell, C Caughie, G Dunlop, S Young