It was the Farmer’s Day Lunch last Saturday with some in house entertainment then on a cold wet day with muddy conditions underfoot hosts Kilmarnock battled to defeat visitors Cumnock by 36-26.

Cumnock kicked off into the wind and it was the hosts who got off to a flying start after Cumnock won a scrum from a maul and moved the ball with an interception by Ethan MacIsaac who scored under the posts and made the conversion 7-0 after four minutes.

Connor Turnbull fielded the restart and kicked for touch. Cumnock won their lineout and moved the ball forcing play into the Kilmarnock half and a tap and go penalty for offside saw them advance but were bundled into touch. Kilmarnock moved the ball from the lineout and won a penalty and then a second for a lineout five metres from the Cumnock goal line. From a planned move Morton Sinclair raced in and took the ball at the front of the line and drove over for a try converted by Ethan MacIsaac. 14-0 after fourteen minutes.

Kilmarnock kicked possession away from the restart which was returned for a Kilmarnock lineout stolen by the visitors who used short runners in attack and a penalty gave them a lineout on the halfway line. The Cumnock backline moved the ball but a dropped ball by the fullback was picked up by Jonathan Goodlet who broke through the defence only to fumble the ball for a Cumnock scrum on their twenty-two line. A pick-up and a move up the blind side and the ball was kicked for a home lineout. Ross Murray won the ball which was passed through the half backs to Robbie Paxton who kicked ahead, and the ball was knocked on for a Kilmarnock scrum deep in the Cumnock twenty-two. The Killie pack secured the ball and moved the ball to the blind side and from the ruck Craig McWhirter launched a cross field kick that was taken by winger Kyle Bendall who despite two tacklers went over for an unconverted try. 19-0 after as many minutes.

Cumnock won a lineout from the restart and held possession for the next eight minutes applying constant pressure on the Kilmarnock defence utilising midfield runners from the rucks and the occasional backline attacks. The powerful Cumnock forwards eventually breached the Kilmarnock line and score a converted try after twenty eight minutes to make the score 19-7.

Soon after the restart Ethan MacIsaac was substituted by Chris Milligan following an accidental clash of the heads. Ross Murray picked up after Kilmarnock pushed Cumnock off the ball followed by two more phases of attack but Cumnock countered with Robbie Paxton making a telling tackle in midfield. Frazer Corrance fielded a Cumnock kick in his own twenty-two and raced forty meters but his pass inside was to no one. The sides shared possession attacking through short runners, kicking and chasing. A penalty gave Cumnock a lineout on the twenty-two and the catch and drive was followed by several forward attacks but were turned over allowing Craig McWhirter to clear to touch. Cumnock attacked through their backline and from a miss pass the ball bobbled in the air with Robbie Colman collecting on his twenty-two metre line and he raced home to score a great bonus point try in the forty sixth minute. The conversion was missed. Half time Kilmarnock 24-7 ahead.

The drizzly conditions continued as Kilmarnock kicked off into the wind and from the first ruck Cumnock kicked long with the ball being returned and Cumnock went through several phases and their forward power earned a converted try after a few minutes which narrowed the score 26-14.
From the restart Kilmarnock held possession and made a number of forward and backline moves with Craig McWhirter launching a probing kick which was cleared to touch in the visitor’s twenty-two. The catch and drive from ten metres out resulted in a try for captain Craig Shepperd to increase Kilmarnock’s lead 29-14.

Connor Turnbull was replaced at scrum half by Ryan Andrews and Ewan Callaghan was replaced by Matthew Tame for the home side. A few more attacks from Kilmarnock and a counter by Cumnock saw Taylor McHarg replace Jonathan Goodlet. Kilmarnock continued and stepped up their play and a break by Morton Sinclair saw him race thirty five metres backed up by Craig Shepperd who passed from the deck to Kyle Bendall inside to Sean McCafferty who burst through to force a ruck. The ball was won and fed out to Robbie Paxton who raced into the opposition twenty-two and fed Frazer Corrance who ran in for a try below the posts converted by Craig McWhirter. Score 36-14 with thirteen minutes of the half played.

Kilmarnock handled the ball well in the next few passages of play but knocked on in the Cumnock half to give the visitors a scrum followed a penalty for being in front of the kicker. From the resulting lineout the ball was moved out the backline then switched inside and a looping pass to the right winger found him in the clear and he raced to the corner for an unconverted try. Score 36-19.

The teams won and lost possession and traded un-kickable penalties then a knock on by Cumnock was kicked away with Kilmarnock in no hurry to resume play. A penalty to Cumnock followed and the ball was moved to the right winger who fumbled the ball with a try on the horizon. Ross Murray picked up from the base of the scrum and broke free passing to Morton Sinclair who ran deep into the Cumnock half. More attacks from Kilmarnock then a free kick to Cumnock relieved the pressure. Cumnock then relished more of the ball as the wind speed dropped and pressed into home territory forcing a clearance kick. Some scrappy play ensued with Cumnock winning a scrum on their twenty-two line. The ball was won and moved out the threequarters and from the following ruck the ball was taken by the number eight on his twenty-two and broke to the halfway then passed to a second row forward who dummied two would be tacklers to score under the posts. The conversion was quickly taken in search of a losing bonus point. Score 36-26.

With five minutes remaining Kilmarnock stuck the ball up their jumpers to run out winners. Coach Stuart Pratt held the huddle in the middle of the muddy pitch, we set a task and got the five points, this was a pivotal result, next week Lenzie and named Robbie Colman Man of the Match.