Lomond-Helensburgh Rugby give Cambuslang a mighty fright

The writing appeared to be on the wall for the hosts as Cambuslang opened up a 26-0 advantage early in the second half.

But Lomond-Helensburgh mounted a stirring fightback from there to reduce the gap to five points – and with a few minutes more they just might have salvaged rather more than one point.

Cambuslang came into the match two points clear at the top of West 2, but with two wins in a row under their belt L&H’s spirits were high, and an early turnover resulting in a penalty for the hosts for a high tackle made for a promising start.

Lomond and Helensburgh mounted a stirring second-half fightback at home to Cambuslang - but had to settle for a losing bonus point after a 26-21 defeat (Image: Guy Phillips/Paisley Colour Photographic Club)

But at the other end the home side’s defensive efforts didn’t last long, with the visitors mounting a strong driving maul from a lineout before the ball was passed out to the wing for the first try after seven minutes.

Cambuslang kept up the pressure on the L&H line, with the hosts penalised for diving into a ruck before conceding a scrum on their own five-metre line, though a forward pass rescued the home team, with David Sterry clearing the danger.

A good lineout win by Scott Smith for L&H saw the ball worked out wide to the backs, with Joe Bull leading the charge at fly-half and Warren Smith at centre, before Cambuslang were pinged for offside at a ruck, only for Cambuslang to clear the immediate danger from five metres.

The hosts conceded an unfortunate penalty for crossing from a lineout in the visitors’ 22, allowing Cambuslang to move the play to the other end and forcing a pair of 22 dropouts from L&H – and from the second of those the visitors built a strong attack and crossed the line for their second try in the 20th minute.

Lomond and Helensburgh’s forwards secure clean lineout ball during Saturday’s 26-21 defeat at home to West 2 leaders Cambuslang (Image: Guy Phillips/Paisley Colour Phootgraphic Club)

Another crossing error thwarted L&H’s next attacking effort after the visitors conceded two penalties in their own 22 following a charging run by Michael Kinsman – and Cambuslang made their hosts pay in the final few minutes of the half, with an L&H knock-on following a turnover giving the league leaders a scrum, a third converted try and a half-time lead of 21-0.

And the hosts were dealt another major blow just a minute after the restart when Sean Goupillot was penalised for a tackle in the air, the resulting yellow card leaving L&H temporarily down to 14 men – and Cambuslang took full advantage, setting up another strong attack to go in for their bonus point score.

This time the try was unconverted, but the 26-0 deficit was daunting to say the least – though with two minutes of Goupillot’s spell in the sin bin remaining, Cambuslang were reduced to 14 as punishment for a high tackle.

And that proved the boost L&H needed, with the hosts forcing Cambuslang into a series of errors and gaining ground from a succession of penalties - and from a five-metre scrum, fast hands saw the ball moved swiftly through Bull, Smith and Craig Bowman to set up Sterry for the hosts’ first score.

Lomond and Helensburgh mounted a stirring second-half fightback at home to league leaders Cambuslang - but had to settle for a losing bonus point after a 26-21 defeat (Image: Guy Phillips/Paisley Colour Phootgraphic Club)

Smith converted to give L&H a glimmer of hope with 25 minutes left – and after another yellow card to the visitors, this time for repeated penalties, that glimmer of hope grew distinctly brighter when Smith set up Fulton for the hosts’ second try.

Smith’s successful conversion cut the gap to 12 points and added to the L&H momentum, and the prospect of a grandstand finish moved tantalisingly close with three minutes left when a Cambuslang knock-on was collected and moved through the hands for Sterry to touch down for his second of the game.

Sadly for the home side that would be as good as it got, despite huge pressure on the visitors in the closing moments, with a knock-on off the knee in the final play ending the hosts’ hopes of anything more than a losing bonus.

Lomond and Helensburgh mounted a stirring second-half fightback at home to league leaders Cambuslang - but had to settle for a losing bonus point after a 26-21 defeat (Image: Guy Phillips/Paisley Colour Phootgraphic Club)

A post-final-whistle melee saw a red card dished out to one of Cambuslang’s players - too late to alter the outcome, but demonstrating the effect of the relentless pressure put on the visitors by L&H during the final half hour of the game, a spell which augurs well for the Ardencaple side, who showed great effort and determination to give the league leaders an almighty fright.

This Saturday, October 28, L&H’s first XV travel to Lanarkshire to face Uddingston, with a 3pm kick-of.

Team: Brian Lovell (sponsored by patron Morag Fraser), Scott Smith (Linda MacDonald Jewellery), Sean Goupillot, Tyler Gregson (La Jupe), Micheal Kinsman, Charlie MacKenzie (Patron Nick Parry), Kyle Crossan (Mary Kingshott), Tommy Mackay (No Limits Brewing), Tom Grey, Joe Bull, David Sterry (Argyll Aesthetics), Warren Smith (capt) (Kick10Ball), Iwan Cavil, Dougie King (Bounce, Play & Party), Craig Bowman (Chrystals Shortbread), Peter McCready (Patron Ian MacQuire), Ross Duff, Joel Miller, T-Jay Lambert (Ashlar Consulting), Reece Court (Superbia Performance), Ian Fulton. The L&H first XV are sponsored by Chrystals Shortbread, Stewart Travel, The Ardencaple Hotel & IFfluent.

All images by Guy Phillips/Paisley Colour Photographic Club