KRFC 1st XV v Annan
Last Saturday, Kilmarnock produced their best performance of the season to dispatch visitors
Annan in a 85-3 win.
The hosts came out fighting, scoring two tries and two conversions within the first five minutes.
Kilmarnock kept a disciplined performance to take a commanding 43-3 lead into half-time.
Annan were never allowed to get into a rhythm, and Kilmarnock kept their performance levels
high to secure a massive victory that keeps them top of the league.
Following Annan’s kick-off, Kilmarnock charged forward. The ball was dropped, with a scrum
awarded. The hosts won it, and Ross Murray went through and got the games first try. Gregor
Paxton converted to give the hosts a very early 7-0 lead.
From the restart, Kilmarnock broke forward quickly. Craig Sheppard was played in and got the
host’s second try. Once again, Paxton converted for a 14-0 lead after just five minutes.
After a quick start, the game started to settle. Most of the play was in the Annan half, with a few
scrums breaking up the play.
After 18 minutes, Kilmarnock got another try. Ryan Andrews ran down the left wing and through
a couple of challenges to make it 19-0. The conversion was wide.
Yet again, it was a quickfire double from Kilmarnock. Andrew Paxton got passed a couple of
defenders to make it 24-0. Again, the conversion was wide.
The play became a bit more stop-start afterwards. Annan were forced into a substitution after
one of their players picked up an injury. Kilmarnock won a penalty and kicked it to touch.
From the line-out, the ball was well worked to Ryan Andrews who made it 29-0. Gregor Paxton
converted for 31-0.
After the restart, Annan won a penalty midway through the Kilmarnock half. Josh Whiteside
converted it to get the visitors on the scoreboard.
Kilmarnock got back up the park and Ross Murray made it 36-3. Gregor Paxton stepped up again
and converted for 38-3.
Just before halftime, Kilmarnock got up the park once again. The hosts worked it out to the left
side and made it 43-3. The conversion was wide, and the whistle blew for halftime.
Like in the first half, Kilmarnock started on top. After a few challenges, Jonathan Goodlet
managed to get the try to make it 48-3. Gregor Paxton’s conversion was good.
Soon after, Scott McDowall ran in behind and made it 55-3. Once again, Gregor Paxton
converted.
The tries kept coming. Substitute John Hendrie added another, with Gregor Paxton converting to
make it 64-3. The ball was, then, kicked into the Annan half, and Thomas Dunlop got to it first
and added another try. He took the conversion, which was good, to make it 71-3.
Like in the first half, the game slowed down with penalties awarded to both sides. Kilmarnock
remained a threat, but Annan looked down and out.
With the game almost over, Thomas Dunlop got down the right side again and added his second
try of the game. Again, his conversion was good, and Kilmarnock led 78-3.
Late in the game, Kilmarnock got another. John Hendrie ran in behind and made it 83-3. Thomas
Dunlop’s conversion was good.
Kilmarnock saw the rest of the game out to seal a potentially massive 85-3 win over a strong
opponent.
The post-match huddle saw the players take the knee and coach MacKenzie Pearce opened by
saying it was the “best performance of the season” and it was “the first time seeing leaders” on
the pitch. He named Andrew Paxton as his Man of the Match.
Kilmarnock next play Cumnock at home with a 3pm kick-off on Saturday in the National Shield.