ARDROSSAN 1ST XV v ANNAN 1ST XV.

TENNENT’S WEST DIVISION 1
21ST JANUARY 2023

Match Report from: Coach Gordon “Gogs” Carmichael

On Saturday Annan managed to beat the frost and traveled up the west coast to take on bottom of the table Ardrossan.

After a good performance the previous week it was hoped to keep a settled side but due to unavailability and late call offs it was again a different team that started.

Annan started the game playing into a stiff breeze and soon fell behind after some poor tackling let the home side score in the corner to go 5-0 up after three minutes.

Annan then started to get back into the game and after some good pressure Josh Whiteside slotted a penalty to pull back the score to 5-3.

The rest off the half was evenly matched and the first half finished with the home team leading 5-3.

Annan started off the better in the second half and with the wind behind them kept the home side pinned down in there own half but with line out not working well they couldn’t capitalise on it they were eventually awarded a kickable penalty which would have put them ahead, but was missed.

The home side went down to 14 men when one of there forwards was binned. Annan failed to capitalise on this and couldn’t turn pressure into points with too many mistakes made, wrong options taken and poor ball retention.

Ardrossan then back to full strength began to take control then kicked a penalty to go 8-3 up. Then after some good pressure and being held up over the line several times, they eventually barged over to score to go 13-3 up.

Annan were then further up against it when after several penalties in quick succession Kieran Warrick was also binned for ten minutes.

With just minutes to go Josh Whiteside kick a second penalty to finish of the scoring to 13-6 which give Annan a losing bonus point.

A disappointing day with lots to work on which can only be done with hard work and training together as a team. Next week Annan are at home with a local derby against league promotion favourites Stewartry

Annan Starting XV: 1 Ryan Glass 2 Murray Forbes 3 Kieran Warrick 4 Callum Smith 5 Neal Coupland 6 Frazer Hope 7 Ryan Armstrong 8 Sean Haren  9 Fraser McMillan 10 Josh Whiteside 11 James Kirby 12 Alex Halliday 13 Aaron Carmichael 14 Max Thorburn 15 Andrew Jancey (Capt)

Subs: 16 Ben Conroy (used) 17 Alex Jones (not used) 18 Finley McCartney (not used) 19 John Glendinning (not used)

MULTIMEDIA

MATCH PHOTOS

None as yet

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Match was not filmed


Annan Rugby Club Badge