Comfortable Home Win for West
Wednesday, 16 October 2024
West of Scotland 51 Cartha Queen’s Park 22
Despite being understrength, West of Scotland recorded an easy victory over a disappointing Cartha Queen’s Park side at Burnbrae on Saturday. Nine tries were scored although, somewhat disappointingly, four were conceded. It was the second time this season West had reached the half-century against the Dumbreck side.
Lewis Howick was in his usual place at full back despite sustaining a leg injury at Rubislaw last week. Kicking duties, though, were left to Owen Hourston. Lien O’Brown on the right wing and Callum Macgugan from the bench made their West debuts. Gus Cameron returned at hooker.
It took the home side all of forty-five seconds to go ahead with a try that will cause the Cartha coaches sleepless nights. A clearance kick was collected in his own half by Howick. He was allowed to carry on almost unchallenged before scoring in the corner.
The opening quarter was totally dominated by West but some poor decision making and stout goal-line defence restricted them to only two further tries in the period. Constant drives by the forwards to the Cartha line eventually saw the overlap created for Cameron to score before lock Adam Dunford’s break and Pete Rhodes support let the no 8 crash over. Hourston slotted an excellent conversion from the left touchline. This, a minute after Cameron had knocked on with the line at his mercy.
It was at this stage the visitors began to compete, the forwards beginning to win some ball for their backs. They would go further behind, though, as West secured their try bonus point after only twenty-five minutes. Callum McCormack, at outside centre in the absence of Nicky Sutcliffe, broke with pace before timing his pass perfectly to allow Howick to go in from the Cartha ten metres line. Hourston was again successful from the tee. West led by twenty-four points, soon reduced by Fraser Paul’s try from a pick-up from a ruck on the West line and Dante Alessandri’s conversion.
There was a glut of tries in the last seven minutes of the half. A quick tap by Rory Cuthbertson released his centre partner McCormack before Brown supported and sent in Howick for his second try of the afternoon. It was an excellent score. Daniel Adam narrowed the gap again, the hooker having an easy run in from a tap penalty five metres from the West line. West scrum half Callum Rutherford’s pop-up gave Nicky O’Brien his first try at this level before, on the half-time whistle, Frazer Corrance got Cartha’s third try after Alessandri’s break. At the interval, West led 34-17. In truth, the gap could and should have been much wider.
It took West only two minutes to put the match out of sight. It was a dreadful score from a Cartha point of view. Emin Thaqi ran in unchallenged from the visitor’s 22, the Cartha defence again marked absent. Replacement Donnie Morrison’s break set up West’s eighth try. Openside Adam Young took a lovely reverse pass before Brown supported and recorded a debut try. A feature of the game had been Cuthbertson’s kicking from hand. His chip over the rush defence was perfectly judged to allow McCormack an easy run to the line, Hourston converting. Somewhat surprisingly, West failed to add to their tally in the final quarter. Cartha did score, to give them their try bonus point. Graeme Docherty stole possession from Rutherford after a West scrum feed. The full back kicked ahead and was first to the ball to touch down.
Five league points were garnered against a side who are having a troubled season and are already favourites for relegation. Despite the magnitude of the win, West head coach Trevor Carmichael will not get carried away. A much tougher task awaits on Saturday with a trip to Cupar to face Howe of Fife at Duffus Park.
