Week kicking heels provides added spur

Sep 17 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

LIVINGSTON Rugby Club welcomed East Kilbride to Almond Park for the home team’s second league game of the season after last week’s game against Edinburgh Uni was postponed.

And it proved to be a happy return to action for Livi who romped to a resounding 30-3 victory.

Livingston’s No 10 Craig Bolan took the kick-off which was won by Livi back row David Stone.

Livingston were playing well and breaking the line at will, but they were failing to convert their chances.

Livingston centre Glen Mushet suffered a dislocated shoulder and was replaced by Jamie King but it failed to knock the hosts out of their stride.

An exchange of penalties was almost all the scoring in the first half until Craig Bolan broke and went blind.

East Kilbride were short of defenders and the Livi man easily stepped the EK winger before placing the ball over the line.

Livi missed the conversion and the home team went in 11-3 up at half time.

Livi would have taken some amount of satisfaction from their first-half performance. The first half was too open for Livi to dominate but they came out after half time and began to take control, to the degree that East Kilbride hardly threatened the Livi line after half time.

Livingston were putting more and more pressure on East Kilbride and the pressure paid off when Gary Wilson powered over their defenders to score in the corner. Craig Bolan missed the conversion but Livi now led 16-3.

After more pressure from the men in blue and white they turned over a defensive scrum.

From the resulting attacking scrum, Livingston No 8 Davy Laird picked up from the base of the scrum and scored to the left of the posts.

Craig Bolan nailed the conversion and the gap between the two teams was beginning to show.

Livingston scored right at the death when centre Ross Neil broke a tackle, sold a dummy and scored for Livi with minutes to go to secure the bonus-point win for four tries.

Craig Bolan struck the conversion and Livi went in winners with a margin of 30-3.

Livingston Seconds and Under-18s also won – the Seconds convincingly against Forresters.

Livingston: Eddie Stuart, Ally Laird, Scott Cantley, Gary Wilson, Stephen Hay, Robbie Wilson, Stevie Logan, David Stone, Richard Cooper, Craig Bolan, Colin Cantley, Ross Neil, Glen Mushet, Jason Watt and Mark Douglas.

Replacements: David Laird, Jamie King and Brian Middlemass.

Livingston travel to Berwick next week, where their match has a scheduled 3pm kick off.