It was surely a record on Saturday, with 192 points being scored by three Linlithgow teams on Upper Mains Park during the day!

It started with a superb performance by the Young Reds S3s for a cracking 64-7 win in their Conference playoff match against Musselburgh. It continued with a thoroughly entertaining match between a Linlithgow 3rd XV and a composite side from Thebans / Corstorphine, with the home side running away 70-10 winners. It finished with a stellar showing from the Reds 2nd XV in a 58-5 romp over mid-table Lasswade in a Reserve East 1 league match.

The Reds 1st XV had a fallow week and it was great to see so many of the Reds’ squad down at Mains Park on Saturday to support the 2s in their league match against Lasswade – there’s a real buzz around the Club and the players just now!

2s Run Lasswade Ragged in 10 Try Romp

Linlithgow 2s  58 – 5  Lasswade 2s

Saturday 11th November 2023

Report by Des Martin

It was a great day for rugby. The sun was out overhead, and the pitch was in perfect condition. The Manager and players were up for this return fixture knowing that the team was much stronger than in the previous encounter. The Reds 3rd XV team was playing on the top pitch before we were to take the park.  Yes, a thirds team who won convincingly against a Corstorphine / Thebans composite side! 

The Reds 2s game started off briskly and Lasswade soon indicated their intent with a very strong scrum from a large pack of forwards. The Lasswade team wanted to carry and intimidate our team. But that was not to be the case as all of the pack were tackling immensely strongly. The back row of Findlater, Chadwick and McHardy dropping the large forwards to the deck and the front five of Scott, Buckley, Holt, Magee and Kenny using their muscle to win any physical confrontation. The Reds kept on top of the Lasswade forwards for the first 20 minutes and soon they began to tire. 

After a good turnover by Alex McHardy, the ball was chipped down the blindside by Struan McLean and Ross Wells touched down easily.  (5-0 to the Reds) The Lasswade team were trying hard but the combined team work from the Reds came through when a nice break from Gregor McLean was supported by the industrious Alex McHardy to score a nice try converted by Gregor McLean.   (12-0 to the Reds)

With the forwards working well and setting up the ball so cleanly, it was not long before Callum Lindsay cutting a great line inside Gregor McLean at stand off strode into score u

between the posts. (17-0 to the Reds) Confidence was high and from a turnover by Alex McHardy the ball was passed to Alex Kenny who made fine ground from his own 22 up to the 10 metre line before passing wide to his fellow lock Eioan Magee who brushed passed the would be tacklers and set off on a 70 metre run. With great pace he outflanked all of the defenders and scored in the corner.  A brilliant run!  (22-0 to the Reds) Adam Buckley then added a further try from a great drive before half time and the score was 27-0 at the break.

Changes were made at half time with both wingers Cammy Walker and Kyle Aitken off and Sam Dudchenko and Aiden Wan on in their place. In addition, Max Holt was replaced by Stu Young at hooker, with John Strachan also coming on. As it usually does, this upset the rhythm and the Reds were a bit disjointed for a while, but Aiden Wan picked up a scrappy ball and showed his pace supported well by Callum Lindsey who was tackled but managed to off load to Finn Chadwick who scored.  (34-0 to the Reds)

Lasswade came back strongly and managed to score a try from forward play after a period of pressure near the Linlithgow line (34-5). The two McLean brothers, Struan and Gregor, who had linked well together as half backs all game, set up a nice move from which Gregor McLean scored, converted by John Strachan (41-5).

Another good run from Callum Lindsay and Ross Wells fizzled out close to the Lasswade line, or so we thought, but up popped Stu Young in support to drive over the Lasswade line for a fine team try. Ross Wells scored his second try to finish off a fine flowing back division move, while Eddie Beamish, who was back on in the last 10 minutes, added to Lasswade’s misery when he broke at pace from his own half to outpace the entire cover defence and go in under the sticks. 

A final score by my counting of 58-5 to the Reds 2s. Some great performances all round, and the most pleasing thing was the numbers available for a game. “Seconds we need to believe we are good enough, if everyone’s available, to get a few more wins under our belt”! Home versus Edinburgh Accies next week.

3s Run in 11 Tries in First Outing of Season

Linlithgow 3s  70 – 10  Thebans / Corstorphine 2s

Saturday 11th November 2023

Report by Euan Mochrie

An exceptional response to player availability combined with a small amount of phone calls and text messages allowed Linlithgow Rugby Club to field its world famous 3rd XV for the the 1st time this season (and hopefully not the last!)

A Caledonian Thebans 2nd XV / Corstorphine 2nd XV combined squad were the opponents for the day and the home squad that they were facing was made up from a range of playing and life experiences, with several players making their first appearance since U18s rugby, some returning from extended breaks in the game and several existing Reds getting an opportunity for some proper game time in the Linlithgow jersey.  

Linlithgow didn’t take long to deal the first blow. Ex U18s winger and now highly respected 2nd row Lewis McKie barged his way over the line after some fantastic support work and offloading from the home side. Stand off and kicker for the day was experienced playmaker John Strachan and he made no issue adding the extras.  

Linlithgow only gained in confidence from here as they began to play a fast brand of rugby to which the spirited Corstorphine / Thebans did not have an answer. Experience and youth were combining fantastically in the midfield as Chris Ronaldson and Andrew Veitch stretched the opposition to the touchlines regularly releasing young reds winger Michael Rafferty into plenty of space. Linlithgow weren’t shy in the tight either. The forward pack were putting in a great shift carrying ball and making yards with every approach to the defensive line. All this combined pressure led to well taken scores from John Strachan, Aidan Wan, Max Holt, Marc Amatller and Sam Dudchenko. 

The excitable crowd were treated to some lovely rugby when 1st Team Coaches Dougie Thomson and Big G McCallum graced the pitch as substitutes, with G showcasing some outrageous skill with multiple out the back passes and some tasty footwork. 1st XV Head Coach Douglas Thomson even managed to keep up with the notoriously nippy John Strachan to offer support to him and dot down under the sticks.

Returning to Mains Park for the 1st time since their U18 rugby days were Kinloch Law, Mack Crawley and Gabriel Wiley. It was great to see these lads back on the pitch after some time away.  Settling right back where he left off, Gabriel Wiley had some outstanding involvements in the game, breaking away from tackles and scoring a brace of tries, earning him Man-of-the-Match from the opposition. Mack Crawley and Kinloch Law also picked up a try each. 

We are very thankful to the opposition from coming forward to make this fixture happen at such short notice. As mentioned at the weekend we would love to reverse the fixture and play again. 

Massive appreciation to all our lads making themselves available for the club. 

Competition is a great thing and the quantity and quality of overall availability shows real competition for positions across the senior teams. Training numbers have been great this season which is a making a big difference. 

Congrats also to the ref – his law knowledge and application was fantastic!!!