Greens go out with a high five

0 - 0 • Published 1 May 2009 16:00

A LARGE partisan support watched the Greens sign off in style with a win over the league champions.

The result leaves Helensburgh sitting pretty in fifth spot and provides coach Liam McIntyre with an ideal platform to build for the future.

It was a fitting end to a challenging season, with the team playing plenty of open quality rugby in the sunshine.

Burgh have now survived in this most difficult of leagues for a decade and while occasionally flirting with relegation, the current squad has both youth and skill on its side to prosper next season.

Unbeaten until the last two matches, Lasswade were rumoured to be likely to field a weakened side.

But it was a strong, workmanlike team which took to the Ardencaple pitch and were soon attacking the home side.

Burgh, however, quickly won turnover ball and headed for the opposition 22, with Blair Somerville and Ali Rogers combining well forcing Lasswade to turn on their heels from a set scrum.

It was then the turn of brother Phil to stretch the opposition with a clever dink to pin the league leaders back momentarily.

At the other end, an important line-out take by Colin Brown gave Chris Black the chance to clear the Burgh lines.

A lethargic Lasswade demonstrated their cynical side when an enthusiastic Stevie Walker was taken out off the ball, the resultant penalty on 20 minutes slotted by Black to open the scoring.

Despite captain for the day, David Calderwood"s best bone crunching tackles in defence, Lasswade"s pack rumbled forward and won a penalty which they duly converted to level.

A further attempt rattled the upright as Lasswade looked to edge in front before the Burgh pack enjoyed a key period of pressure.

Somerville then Joel Hammond picked up and drove towards the line and an illegal body charge on Black up in support gave the referee no option but to award a penalty try.

Black did the honours with the conversion to open up a seven point gap at half-time.

Still demonstrating the greater desire at the start of the second half, the Greens won a penalty on the Lasswade 22 which Black was never going to miss.

At this, Lasswade changed tact and decided to keep the ball in with their pack, but the retiring Calderwood kept the Burgh forwards focused.

Every avenue of approach was closed down by the effective Burgh cover defence who were gang tackling their bulkier opposition at will.

And Burgh almost added a final layer of gloss as Walker broke down the line at the death, only to see his chip behind the defence trickle out into touch.

Helensburgh: A Rogers, J Drake, Rettie, P Rogers, Campbell, Black, Walker, MacInroy, Feltham, A Drake, Calderwood, Brown, Gibson, Hammond, Somerville. Subs: Sloan, Flloyd, MacLean.

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