new club website available, visit the new club site and register as a player/supporter etc to receive regular updates

There will be a players meeting this Thursday night from 8.30pm to decide on next years team captains, could as many players as posible try and make it along.

There will also be voting forms available for player of the year, u21 player of the year and most improved player.

Congratulations to the 2nd XV who defeated Kilmarnock with a bonus point to stay up in the top regional reserve league.

Teams have been drawn for the 2010 Rydeher Cup to be held on the 1st May at Royal Hogganfield

Draw as follows 

No more places available

This years annual Dinner shall be held on Saturday the 1st of May, 7pm for 730pm.

Tickets must be reserved beforehand, there will be a list behind the bar ASAP

LENZIE  22  v  16  HELENSBURGH

Lenzie, hoping to erase the disappointment of the previous week’s defeat, faced Helensburgh on Saturday, who were on a good run having won their last five league games.

Helensburgh played with the strong wind in their favour in the first half, and took full advantage, pinning Lenzie back in their own half for long periods. Lenzie were also being penalized at the breakdown, and the Helensburgh stand off kicked two penalties following the home side’s indiscretions.

Mid way through the half, Helensburgh made good use of turnover ball to create space for their strong running outside centre to make ground, and he scored a well worked try which was converted. Lenzie did well not to concede any further tries in the first period, with Helensburgh’s other score being a dropped goal from their stand off stretching their lead to sixteen points.

This stung the home side into a period of pressure of their own, Lenzie kept possession and were patient in their build up and with the visitors running out of defenders, Brodie found McWilliams and the 17 year old galloped over for an excellent try.

Half time Lenzie 5 – 16 down.

Lenzie restarted the second period and Helensburgh fumbled the kick off, McLean gathered and the ball was worked to Queenan, who had a lot of work to do but managed to reach the try line for another try. Confidence was high now and ten minutes later, Scouller exploded from the back of a scrum and outpaced the Helensburgh back line from fully 40m for Lenzie’s third try. Unfortunately the conversion was missed and Lenzie were still a point in arrears.

Lenzie were at this point in complete ascendancy and the fourth try was again scored by Queenan after good lead up from the forwards and link play from the backs. Brodie’s successful conversion put Lenzie ahead by six points with twenty minutes remaining.

Further forays into the visitors half almost brought further scores for Lenzie with Brett, Scouller, and McAulay all going close but the Helensburgh line held firm.

In the final ten minutes Helensburgh managed to shake off the shackles and put pressure on Lenzie, and only excellent tackling and good organisation in defence kept the visitors out. Lenzie held out for a deserved victory and their first win bonus of the season.

The target now for Lenzie is to win all remaining league fixtures and hope other results go their way. Next week is a visit to fellow strugglers Trinity Accies, but if Lenzie play with the same commitment and control as they showed for long periods on Saturday, they can go with much confidence.            

Lenzie 13    14 Hawick Linden             Sat 20 March 2010                                         

This game was a major setback for Lenzie in their bid to avoid relegation and supporters and players were at a loss to explain how the home team managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Lenzie started brightly and created half a dozen scoring opportunities in the first half. They lost Jones early on to a hamstring pull and the same fate befell Nisbet shortly before half time. The latter player was having one of his best games in a Lenzie jersey and just failed to capitalise on several good breaks. Brodie opened the scoring for Lenzie with a penalty after 4 minutes but the visitors restored parity after the home team were penalised for crossing. After 25 minutes Mr Wilson’s  failure to keep up with play denied Lenzie a clear try as Kennedy latched on to a Brodie cross-kick and touched down. Lenzie’s pack made amends and drove over the line at a scrum to be awarded a penalty try. Brodie converted for 10-3 and then kicked a penalty for 13-3. Half time came with Lenzie clearly superior but having failed to fully capitalise on this. The second half was marked by Lenzie trying to secure a 4-try bonus point before making sure the victory was secure. This led to them ignoring penalty opportunities and then failing to score from line-outs and scrums. Worse was to come as Hawick changed their kicker and he added 3 points then a Lenzie scrum on their own 22 was lost and Hawick rumbled over for a try to make it 13-11. The visitors then had a player red-carded but they were awarded a penalty which was converted for them to lead for the first time after 79 minutes. Lenzie had one last difficult attempt which fell short.

After 2 good wins and a dominant first half it is hard to fathom how this game was lost but the score in the history books will be 14-13 to Hawick. Relegation is still avoidable but this result makes it much more difficult. Plus point was the display of all 15 players in the first half when the scrum and lineout were dominant and the backs ran well. 80 minutes of this on Saturday against Helensburgh (home) is called for.

Lenzie 2^nd XV 24 v 7 Helensburgh 2^nd XV

With perfect conditions for some running rugby the seconds were delighted to be able to field one of the strongest line ups of the season.  Fielding a large pack, the home team was able to put Helensburgh under huge pressure straight from the Kick off with a succession of driving mauls.  Unfortunately this early pressure went initially unrewarded, good driving play from Leacock and Carson saw clean, fast ball secured in Lenzie’s own half allowing G.Condie to put Jack into space who took on the full back to score a well deserved try under the posts which went unconverted.  This pressure continued after the first score leading to a Lenzie scrum 5 metres out which number 8 Brett picked and took on the blind side to score Lenzie’s second unconverted try. 

Second half Lenzie continued where they had left off, with great support play from flankers Moore and Johnstone opening up a gap to put jack into the corner, unfortunately this try was ruled out as Jack judged to have be in touch.  With such sustained pressure another try was on the cards and the forwards again did not disappoint in managing to secure their own ball from the Line out, with the away teams defence focused on Marshall’s dummy run a gap opened up in the midfield for Moir to break through from 60 yards with only the Full back to beat, he duly obliged by rounding the full back and capping off his man of the match display with a well deserved try converted by McKinlay.  With the front row seemingly invincible winning both their own ball and the lion’s share against the head in the scrums Lenzie managed to get a break inside the opposition 22 leading to a ruck on front of the posts, good clearing out by Rodgers and Sutherland allowed Hardie to release the back line with G.Condie and Moir showing quick hands to put Conway in from a Metre out for his first try for the club converted by McKinlay.  With the Bonus point secured Lenzie switched off and after an infringement inside their own 22 Helensburgh won the resulting scrum and as the ball spilled from the back of the scrum the Lenzie defence opened up for the Helensburgh flanker an easy run in for their only converted try of the game.

Well deserved win for a team that has been fighting hard all season and hopefully if they can continue to play like this, then there will be a few more wins to celebrate!  Congratulations to man of the match Moir and 2^nd XV debutant McKinlay.  Next week the 2^’s are away to Dumfries so if all players could make their availability known ASAP it would be appreciated.

Line up

D.Condie, C.Sutherland, A.Wood, J.Leacock, A.Carson, S.Johnstone, R.Moore, G.Brett, S.Hardie, G.Condie, M.Ikey, A.Marshall, C.Moir, M.Malcom, B.Jack

Replacements

A.Condie, M.Rodgers, G.Campbell, D.Conway, G.Erry, C.McKinlay, G.Ordon

LENZIE  25  v  21  ABERDEENSHIRE

This was an excellent advertisement for National League 3 rugby with both teams, at times, playing some excellent rugby.

Despite the lay off due to the inclement weather (Lenzie have only managed two games in 2010), Lenzie looked sharp and eager from the kick off and put their visitors under pressure during the early exchanges. Just when it looked like Aberdeenshire had weathered the early storm, McAulay charged down an attempted clearance kick and Smith was first to react and won the race to touch down for the first try of the game.

This stunned Aberdeenshire into action, and after good work from their pack the ball was moved out to the backs and debutant wing Smith showed he could also defend with a try saving tackle.

With Lenzie’s line out functioning well, and the back row working hard, the home side worked their way upfield. A drive by McNeish, Matier, and Williams, set up good ball, Brodie saw the space and his crossfield kick was gathered at pace by Nisbett for Lenzie’s second try which was converted by Brodie.

Lenzie were in the ascendancy and after more good lead up play by Jones and Queenan, Aberdeenshire were adjudged offside and Brodie added the three points from the successful penalty.

With half time approaching, Lenzie launched another raid, and when Aberdeenshire conceded a line out near their line, Lenzie used the shortened line out to their advantage and McManus crashed over for a third home try which was converted to leave the half time score at 22 – 0 in Lenzie’s favour.

It was probably Lenzie’s best 40 minutes of the season to date, with Aberdeenshire only stronger in the set scrum and struggling to compete in most phases of the game. The visitors changed tactics at half time and started to use the power of their much bigger pack.

With 20 minutes remaining Aberdeenshire had reduced Lenzie’s lead to eight points after scoring two converted tries. The first by Cunningham after good lead up work from the pack, and the second by No 8 Cook taking advantage of an advancing scrum 5m from Lenzies line. Both tries were converted by Cole.

Lenzie showed much character at this point and took the initiative again. A good break by Paterson supported by McLean and Derrick took play into the Aberdeenshire danger zone. The visitors were penalized at the breakdown and Brodie punished them by kicking the penalty. Lenzie didn’t let up and following a good kick by Hamilton, Aberdeenshire ran the ball out of defence. A massive Scouller tackle halted their advance and again the visitors were penalized at the breakdown. Instead of opting for the simple kick at goal, Lenzie took a quick tap however a slip prevented the ball reaching the space on the left wing, and Aberdeenshire cleared the danger.

This seemed to galvanise the visitors, and they launched an assault on the Lenzie line. Some heroic defence kept the visitors at bay, however they were rewarded with a try by Gilmartin in injury time. Aberdeenshire had time for one more attack but Lenzie held firm to record a well merited win against the team lying in top spot.

Sat 12^th December    

Sat 5^th December      Marr  38   -12   Lenzie

It seems that when things aren’t going your way fate conspires against you. This is the case for Lenzie at the moment in a season which has seen them struggle in National Divison 3. However, morale in the club is as good as its been in more successful seasons as coach Iain Kennedy continues to achieve good attendance at training sessions. This will be even more important over the next few weeks as Lenzie enter a series of 3 games which will influence whether they have a future in Division 3 or they tumble to relegation into the Regional setup.

At Troon on Saturday Lenzie started well and exerted pressure only to be penalised twice just inside their half. Marr kicker, McGee, showing deadly accuracy made it 6-0. Worse was to come as a spilled ball allowed full back Gault to cross between the posts. McGee converted and added 2 more penalties to make it 19-0 at the interval.

Credit to Lenzie as they came out on the offensive and played well for 30 minutes. They scrummaged Marr off the ball repeatedly but the lineout was a weak area in the main. One successful touchline move, however, saw Rice find Johnston who tapped down to McNeish who would not be stopped from 10 yards out. Kennedy converted for 19-7. Hopes rose among the visiting support but were soon dashed as Paterson was pulled into a ruck and the stand-in scrum half saw a pass intercepted to allow Marr an easy score. Lenzie fought back and good runs by Jones and Lynch gained ground. Lenzie camped on the opposing line but credit to the Marr defence who kept them out. In addition the referee was making some interesting decisions one of which was to disallow an apparently good try by Johnston. With 10 minutes to go lack of recent games took its toll as a number of visiting players suffered cramp and Marr scored through Watson. Lenzie never gave up and a good run by captain Queenan allowed him to put Jones into space and he made the line for Lenzie’s consolation try.

There were signs of hope in this display and a good crowd is required on Saturday at Viewfield when Lenzie entertain fellow strugglers Hillfoots. Kick off at 2 o’clock. 

Fixtures, results and league tables for both teams can be found here 1st XV and 2nd XV