Linlithgow 2s  52 – 21  Lasswade 2s

Saturday 12 September 2026

Report by Graeme Miller

Linlithgow 2’s hosted Lasswade 2nd XV on Saturday and the two rivals started the game with great anticipation. However, it was the home side that came out on top overall with a 52 – 21 win scoring 8 tries and 6 conversions in the process. A new start this season, from last season’s U18’s, was Alfie Woods who scored after 5 minutes from a strong run down the wing. Receiving kick offs is sometimes a hit or a miss with the home side but this time, we scored again straight from the restart with Hamish Ferguson running through the defence from full back and Fraser Miller converting. We continued to keep possession and through some great forward play, Kai Hunter scored the first of his three tries with Fraser again converting. 19 – 0 up within 10 minutes was the start we wanted!! 

With the starting XV working well, it wasn’t until 10 minutes later, through flying winger Tiam Sahraie that we scored again in the corner with Fraser slotting the kick from the touch line. On the stroke of 30 minutes Kai Hunter bashed over again for his second of the day and the first half was rounded off when Linlithgow threw a loose pass 10 yards out while defending and Lasswade ran in an interception try together with conversion making it a 31 – 7 lead for the home side.

With our 6 subs starting the second half, the retirees were thanked for the hard yards in the first half and Adam Philip took over from Aiden Mochrie and Martin McElwee hooked for Max Holt in the front row. Second row Ross McBain retired for Lewis McKie while Callum Banks replaced Lewis Smith in the back row. Cyrus Knox at scrum half took over from Struan McLean and Callum Miller came on to the wing for Tiam.

This new look side had a more settled experience with a further 4 tries, with Lasswade battling back at times and scoring twice themselves. It was, a scrappy affair with some high tackles and the occasional fist being thrown from Lasswade and the referee had to try and contain things the best he could. Linlithgow scored in the first minute starting the scene well and, in my excitement, I didn’t note down who scored but from Adam Scott’s catch from the kick off, he made the 45-yard run to the try line only side stepping a couple of Lasswade players to be pulled down just short of the line. I’m sure this will go down in his memoirs! A brilliant run from the prop!!

Lasswade battled on though and they received some possession and territory and this resulted in a well-made try after 11 minutes which was converted. 38 – 14 but Kai Hunter wanted his third and after a strong forward effort led from our captain and player of the match, Eioan McGee, Kai crashed over again on 16 minutes in. Fraser Miller converting.

Aidan Rennison from centre was making some great penetrating runs when one of the Lasswade players got everything wrong in a tackle and decided to try and decapitate him in mid field. The referee had no option but to retire the gentleman for 10 minutes reducing the visitors to 14 after 21 minutes.

However, with order restored, No. 8 Kieran Cochrane, who had linked all first half with Struan and also with Cyrus in the second half brilliantly through his pick-ups and strong driving at the opposition, was rewarded with a try after 26 minutes. Fraser Miller again converted. At this stage, the home side thought it was all over, but the visitors made one last effort and ran some sets together driving over our line on 35 minutes and  this, along with the resultant conversion, made the final result 52-14.

Special mention obviously should go to our more senior players for their leadership on the field but also, our younger boys who have come up through the schools’ set up, especially Martin McElwee who actually bumped the Lasswade No.8 who was twice his height and weight! Well done boys!