Greenock Wanderers lose 24-20 away to North Berwick

The Fort Matilda men travelled to East Lothian determined to make a fast start against their struggling hosts, but those plans failed to materialise as the home team dominated the first 10 minutes.

Wanderers’ familiar failings so far this season returned to haunt them as a series of penalties were conceded in the opening stages to make life easier for North Berwick.

The home side opened their account after 15 minutes when a poor clearance kick from Wanderers fell straight into the arms of one of the opposing prop forwards, who made ground before offloading to another of his colleagues from the back to barge over for a converted try.

Wanderers face an uphill struggle to avoid the drop after falling to defeat in the shadow of North Berwick Law on Saturday. (Image: John Dyer) Further errors from the visitors gifted North Berwick a second converted try just three minutes later, and when McDaid’s first attempt to kick a penalty for Wanderers fell wide of the posts it was looking increasingly like ‘one of those days’ for the Greenock men.

However, the Wanderers dug deep and soon reduced the leeway when Tyley went on a mazy run into the home team’s 22 before passing to winger Jackson to get the visitors’ first try on the board.

A successful conversion was followed by a McDaid penalty to cut the deficit to 14-10, and Wanderers looked as if they might have turned a corner when an error-free spell earned them a penalty in the home 22, with McDougal taking it quickly and passing to Strachan to dive over near the posts, with the conversion earning the visitors a 17-14 half-time lead.

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North Berwick have had a torrid time so far this season, with a first XV that changes from week to week due to a lack of players, and have twice failed to raise a team for scheduled league games, leaving them facing the prospect of automatic relegation if the same thing happens again.

However, a narrow win over Stewartry in October has given the Recreation Park men some hope, and despite falling behind in the dying moments of the first half, North Berwick rallied and were dominant once again in the early stages of the second half.

The hosts were gifted an opportunity to go back into the lead after a dreadful mistake by Wanderers, when a long kick by the hosts was fielded by Greenock full-back Doak, only for his pass inside to be knocked on; that gave the home side a scrum inside Wanderers’ 22, and the hosts’ back pushed Wanderers off the ball before crossing the line for an unconverted try to go back in front 19-17.

Wanderers were fast running out of ideas, and apart from a few runs by Robb and Tyley, Greenock failed to seriously threaten their hosts; more slack tackling on 65 minutes allowed North Berwick’s winger in for a further score to open the home team’s lead to 24-17 and a try bonus point to boot.

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Despite their efforts in the closing stages, the best Wanderers could muster was another McDaid penalty in the dying moments, confirming a losing bonus point.

Wanderers will now have to concoct something spectacular to turn around their fortunes, but with the personnel available to them and the games ahead, with third-top Dunfermline next at Fort Matilda on November 23, it’s looking increasingly likely that staying in National 4 may be outwith their capabilities.

Elsewhere on Saturday, the men’s second XV lost 87-7 at Dalziel, while the boys’ under-18s joined up with their Bishopton counterparts to defeat Oban 57-24 at Fort Matilda, with Shaun scoring four tries and Ben, Ethan, Gabriel, Logan and Blair also crossing the line.

On Sunday, the ladies’ first XV produced an impressive 40-12 win at home to Ayr in their final home game of the season, with Tina Hemphill scoring three of the Wanderers’ tries and Katie Purves two, while Orla McAllister also weighed in with a score.

The ladies’ third XV took on Mid Argyll on Sunday in the Aspiring League, with Kirsty Brown scoring seven tries and Kirsty O’Donnell, Amanda Sweeney and Jennifer Witherow also crossing the line in a 55-50 defeat.

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Greenock’s P7s began the weekend with a very successful tournament on Friday evening, while the under-16s lost at home to Annan.

Greenock Wanderers’ club sponsors are MMSEARCH; the ladies’ sponsors are Straps of Gourock and Brow House Cosmetics.