Lenzie 25 East Kilbride 22

I'm grateful to Alan Docharty for this report:

East Kilbride RFC travelled in confident mood to take on a Lenzie team searching for their first points after losing to Dalziel last week.
East Kilbride kicked off against the wind and started brightly in a keenly contested game. The game burst into life around the 16 minute with Fletcher scoring from a well taken line out following a penalty kick. Rory Blackwood added the conversion to put EK 0-7 ahead. Following on from this terrific score, EK add a further three points from a Blackwood penalty. The game at this point was starting to deteriorate and was littered with penalties from a whistle happy referee.
Around the 26th minute, Lenzie had a player yellow carded following a high tackle offence. From the resultant penalty, Evan Martin reacted quickly and took a quick tap on the ball before running powerfully and scoring a terrific try under the posts. Rory gladly converts to send EK into a 0-14 lead, fantastic score given the fact they were playing into the wind.
Unfortunately the EK lead was reduced on the 36th minute as Lenzie scored a converted try, 7-14. Around this time EK are forced to make a change as Lewis Macfie is forced off and Jordan Green is brought on at full back. The game has really exploded into life at this point and penalties are being awarded to both teams on a regular basis. As the game approaches half time Roddy Beaton is given a yellow card which hands Lenzie a lifeline back into the game.
The fourteen men of EK begin the second half in a rather scrappy manner as both teams are penalised regularly, Harry Taggart has replaced Chris McLellan for this half. On the 48 minute, Lenzie reduce the deficit to four after a penalty sails between the posts, 10-14. Game on!! Rory Blackwood fires over another penalty on the 50th minute to extend EK’s lead once again, 10-17. East Kilbride are really motoring at this point and just a few minutes later extend their lead again with Fletcher scoring his second try of the game following a fantastic move after a quickly taken Beaton penalty. This was a quite superbly worked try involving a number of quick passes between the players. Conversion missed with the game sitting at 10-22 in favour of a rampant EK.
Unfortunately, Rory Blackwood is off injured on the hour mark and replaced by young Ri Murphy. The game continues to be peppered with penalties and just after the hour mark, Lenzie reduce the gap to 15-22 after an unconverted try. This game is far from secure for EK as Juan-Lee Hodgkinson is replaced by Nathan Miller with the clock heading towards the 74th minute. Suddenly, Lenzie grab another try and the conversion to send the scoreboard to 22-22. Surely this game is heading for a share of the spoils as both teams are reduced to fourteen with Ri Murphy heading to the sin bin. On the 79thminute EK get themselves in a tangle and contrive to give away a penalty after attempting to run from deep. Incredible scenes as Lenzie gleeful accept the gift and bang over the penalty with only a minute left to play. Final score and an unlikely victory to Lenzie 25-22. A reversal from last week’s good fortune and a very disappointing end to a game East Kilbride should have won.

This Saturday, 16th September, EK travel to Cleland to take on Dalziel - KO 3 p.m.