Match Report from: CONOR PALMER

It was a difficult season opener for the 1st XV as they travelled away to face Strathendrick, newly promoted from West 2 and clearly eager to make a strong impression in West 1.

From the kickoff, Strathendrick put Annan on the back foot, almost scoring straight from the restart—only denied by a try-saving tackle from Ben Latimer in the dead ball area, forcing a knock-on.

Unfortunately, this only delayed the inevitable, with Strathendrick crossing the line minutes later.

A poor first half from Annan saw the halftime whistle blow with the score at 33-0.

The second half saw a much-improved performance from Annan, with the forwards starting to gain some front-foot ball and the backs making valuable yards when given the opportunity.

However, Strathendrick’s defence proved formidable, with dominant two-man tackles being made across the park. This pressure forced Annan into a territorial game, where any kicks that failed to find touch were punished by a clinical back three.

The shining moment of the half came from Ewan Campbell, who finished off a well-worked move by executing a textbook 2-on-1 to break the line and score under the posts—giving Annan their only try of the match.

When the final whistle blew, the score stood at 66-7. A tough result, but Annan will be determined to come back stronger in the next outing.

Special mentions go to Ryan Armstrong, who earned Man of the Match, Ryan Glass on his debut as 1st XV captain, and both Rohan Cother and Kelum Smith, who made their 1st XV league debuts.

Annan starting XV: 1. Ryan Glass (C) 2. Kieron Warrick (VC) 3. Sean Armstrong 4. Hayden Hodgson 5. Callum Smith 6. Mason Watret 7. Eben Le Vin 8. Rohan Cother 9. Josh Whiteside (VC) 10. Fraser McMillan 11. Bradley James 12. Ben Latimer 13. James Kirby 14. Ben Conroy 15. Aaron Carmichael

Subs: (all used) 16. Callum Taylor 17. John James Mackay 18. Ryan Armstrong 19. Wallace Alexander 20. Max Thorburn 21. Ewan Campbell 22. Kelum Smith