Match report: Irvine 18 – 17 Birkmyre
Irvine 18 – 17 Birkmyre
Arnold Clark West Division 2
Saturday, 14th September 2024
Birkmyre picked up a losing bonus point in defeat away to Irvine at the weekend in what turned out to be a nail-biting encounter, with the home side finishing up victors by 18-17.
Birkmyre travelled with a reduced squad of only 17 players due to unavailability and late call offs. Irvine had the balance of play for the first 10 minutes and made this count with a score 5m from the touchline 10 minutes in. Kicking into the wind, the conversion was missed.
10 minutes later, the scores were level. Birkmyre had fought hard into the opposition 22 and were threatening their goal line. Having won a penalty 5m out, they opted for a “tap & go” which saw 2nd Row Owen Nicolas, power over in the corner for his first try of the season.
On the 24th minute, Birkmyre took the lead. Defending their own goal line, an excellent clearance kick saw them win a penalty 10m inside the Irvine half. The Kilmacolm side took it quickly with Ali Peacock making vital yard crossing the 22.
As he was tackled, he popped the ball to captain for the day, Robbie Espie, to run in under the post unopposed. Jonny Davidson added the conversion.
Irvine quickly replied however, to take the score to 10-12 which is how the half ended.
Irvine took the lead shortly after the kick off. Having one a penalty in front of the posts, they elected to kick to secure the 3 points. Birkmyre then thought they had taken the lead. They took a quick line out and ran down the line unopposed. However, the referee brought play back as they had not used the same ball to take the quick line out.
It took until the 64th minute for Irvine to extend their lead. From a scrum 30m out on the right, they worked the ball across the field to score their final points. With Irvine having missed their conversion, Birkmyre knew that a converted try would take the points back to Inverclyde, and confidence was high with over 15 minutes remaining.
For the next 6 minutes or so, the match seemed to be drifting away from the visitors. Irvine were camped in the opposition half and Birkmyre were not getting the rub of the green of refereeing decisions. However, they managed to weather the storm with no points conceded.
With only 4 minutes left, Birkmyre took their opportunity. Having stolen a lineout on their own 22, the ball went from right to left and into the hands of winger Struan McCamley, who powered from his own 22 into the opposition half. Just before he was tackled, he smartly offloaded to Paul Carruth who was running in support, and he continued the great run to score just as he was being tackled.
A successful conversion would see Birkmyre take the lead however a very difficult kick into the wind from wide out, saw the ball drift to the right. With only two minutes left, Irvine kicked deep into Birkmyre territory and there simply was not enough time left of the clock to make it up the pitch to score again despite a late Irvine yellow card.
The defeat leaves Birkmyre 7th in the league table with 6 points, one spot below Irvine on 8.
Photo Credit: Fiona Wallace