SPORTS CORRS

PAGE: 19

EDITION: 2

West 15, London Scottish 26

WEST of Scotland failed to end the winning sequence which London

Scottish have built up in the three meetings between the two sides in

the past decade. Six years ago at Richmond, where the clubs last locked

horns, the Anglos were victorious by 18-10. Ten years ago at Burnbrae,

the visitors scored a 10-0 victory.

On Saturday, as a break from league business and with nothing at stake

bar pride, both sides were guilty of some sloppy defending, and the

Anglos notched up their hat trick.

West played into the teeth of a stiff breeze in the opening period,

and despite taking an early lead with a David Barrett penalty goal, they

soon found the going tough. David Millard was alert to some sleepy West

defence when he took a quick tap-penalty on the home twenty-two and

scythed through half a dozen half-hearted tackles to touch down at the

corner flag.

Nick Grecian mastered the swirling wind well to kick his side into a

four-point lead and on the half-hour mark, Millard was through for his

second try, this time from a back-row scrummage pick-up and feed.

Grecian was on target with the conversion, and with a penalty goal a

short while later.

Gerry Hawkes set the home pulses racing when he scorched in for a fine

solo try from the halfway line, with Barrett adding the conversion. But

on the stroke of half-time, the Anglos scored a telling psychological

blow when Buchanan-Smith took advantage of fragile defence to touch

down, and Grecian added the conversion to restore his side's 13-point

leeway.

After the interval, Barrett put over two penalty goals, West dominated

for long periods, but they were unable to put further points on the

board. Donnie Robertson, who earlier had suffered a gash on the left

eyebrow, eventually succumbed to a rib injury and was replaced by Paul

Ross. The final act was left to London Scottish, who sealed victory with

a bulldozing try by No.8 McEwan in the final minute.

West of Scotland -- D N Barrett; G F Hawkes, D Robertson, D R McKee, D

G Ross; D H Drummond, F Stott; I A Cochran, D R Livingston, J P

MacDonald, H B Richmond, J Curtis, D M Calderwood, I Jamison, D Millar.

Replacement -- P Ross for Robertson (57min).

London Scottish -- J C W Beazley; N Grecian, D W Caskie, J Slater, P

Raeburn; A Mitchell, D J Millard; A Moffat, D Patterson, D Addington, I

Campbell-Lamerton, J R E Campbell-Lamerton, I R Morrison, G McEwan, S

Buchanan-Smith. Replacement -- A Hobbs for Buchanan-Smith (78).

Referee -- D Martin (Hillhead-Jordanhill).