ANNAN 1ST XV v CAMBUSLANG 1st XV
WEST DIVISION 1
15TH FEBRUARY 2025
Match Report from: GUS ROBERTSON
The 1st XV faced Cambuslang on Saturday at a wintery Violetbank. It was the teams first home match since early December and the home support and coaches were hoping there would be no ring rust from the players.
Their opponents Cambuslang were fighting to get the points needed to get out of the relegation places with Annan not 100% mathematically safe as well.
With an Annan win also moving the team up to 4th it was all to play for as the teams took to the pitches.
Unfortunately it was a match that both teams looked like they hadn’t played much in the last few months. In Annan case it was very true – with it being only their 4th match in 4 months,
The Annan lads were trying to play their usual expansive rugby and had the bulk of the possession but too many knock ons, losing the ball in contact, off loading when it wasn’t on and general ring rustiness meant it was a tight match and it was 3-0 to the visitors at half time. A penalty after 15 mins. This was from basically one of the few times Cambuslang had managed to get into the Annan half
Into the 2nd half and it was much of the same but Annan finally made the breakthrough when top try scorer Ryan Hetherington barged over to put the home side 7-3 up after a number of phases and pick up and goes. Josh Whiteside with the conversion
25 to go and it was still anyone’s match
But thankfully for the Annan faithful with about 15 to go Aaron Carmichael scored to take it to 14-3. Josh again with the conversion. It was great phase of play with forwards and backs combining with quick ruckball before the Aitken Render passed to Carmichael to score.
Annan did have numerous chances to get the 4 tries needed for the bonus point but knock ons close to the try line spoiled the party.
But the Annan defence did hold the Cambuslang attack and after the 80 it finished 14-3 to Annan.
So a tough match against old friends Cambuslang but a win is a win and nice 4 points to get and Annan moved back into 4th spot
Defensively Annan did really well not allowing Cambuslang to score in the second half but still plenty to work on.
The team now have a tricky away tie to Oban on the 1st March.
The Sponsors of the match picked Annan Captain Kieran Warrick as man of the match.
1st XV squad: 1 Ryan Glass 2 Kieran Warrick (C) 3 Sean Armstrong 4 Fraser Hope 5 James Morrison 6 Eben Le Vin 7 Mason Watret 8 Ryan Hetherington 9 Josh Whiteside 10 Frazer McMillan 11 Adam Torrbet 12 James Kirby 13 Aitken Render 14 Lex Stevenson 15 Aaron Carmichael
Subs (all used): 16 Wallace Alexander 17 Callum Smith 18 Murray Forbes 19 Ewan Campbell 20 Bradley James 21 Hayden Hodgson 22 Juan Phyfer
MATCH PHOTOS
Photos of the match on Katie Morrison Photographys Facebook page if the pictures do not appear below.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Individual highlights
FULL MATCH
Email Admin@AnnanRFC.com for password.
