Newly promoted Waid kicked off their season against their old promotion rivals, Stirling University, on Saturday. In the first half, Stirling chose to play with the wind in their favour and were rewarded after 3 minutes with a penalty in front of the posts. The visitors easily scored making it 0-3. Shortly afterwards they managed to put the ball over the line, in the corner, to make it 0-8 – luckily for Waid, they missed the subsequent conversion. 25 minutes in, Stirling scored another penalty in front of the posts bringing proceedings to 0-11. Waid found themselves struggling to get to grips with the windy conditions in the first half and opted to pass the ball, and run with it, rather than try and kick it into the wind.
After the break, with the wind now at their advantage, Waid changed tactics and sought to kick deep in Stirling’s half. The new strategy paid off just ten minutes in when Waid centre Ross Doak managed to score. Ross’ try was duly converted by his debutante team mate Alex Broome, to make the score 7-11. However, shortly afterwards, Stirling scored again to extend their lead to 7-16. Not to be deterred, in the dying moments of the game, Waid’s young guns managed to pull off another try. Some good passing play, following a line out, saw Doak freed up again to score his second try of the game, making the final score 12-16.
Man of the match points were awarded to Eric Anderson 3, Alex Broome 2 and Ross Doak 1. After the game, Waid’s captain Barry Gourlay said “We were really pleased today with the way that our younger guys played. We have some promising players coming through from the school teams, which is very positive for the club.”
Waid’s next game is on Saturday away to Mackie Academy FP and players are reminded to meet at the rugby club at 11.30.
On Saturday, Waid faced RAF Kinloss in a make or break play-off for promotion into the Caledonia League, division 1 and the encounter turned out to be a dramatic climax to the season. Waid went into the match missing several key players, including their injured captain Barry Gourlay, vice captain Ian Brocklebank, Graham Gourlay, Robert Carr and Kevin Anderson, and had to rely on some of their younger squad members to step up to the breach. From the outset, it looked as though the odds would be stacked against the Anstruther side, but some courageous play saw them victorious against their promotion rivals.
After just 10 minutes, RAF Kinloss opened the scoring with a try. Luckily for Waid, they missed the resulting conversion but the score stood at 0-5 to the visitors. However, Waid were keen to avenge Kinloss’ early lead and Ally Thomson got his name on the score sheet just five minutes later with a try in the corner of the park, bringing the tally to 5-5. Shortly after, RAF Kinloss were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, for a Waid foul, which they duly managed to score, making the score 5-8 and putting them back in the lead. Spurred on by this, Waid continued to battle forward and their persistence was rewarded ten minutes later with a penalty. Top kicker Ally Thomson stepped forward to take it and easily slotted the ball between the posts to even things up at 8-8. Despite the best efforts of both teams, the score remained that way going into half time.
It was twenty minutes into the second half before the stalemate was broken, when Waid youngster Scott Busby ran down the wing to score – thus putting the home side ahead for the first time in the game, at 13-8. Determined to recapture the lead, Kinloss were soon back in Waid’s half and were awarded another penalty for a foul on one of their players. Once again, they managed to score narrowing Waid’s lead to 13-11. Five minutes later, when on the attack, Waid’s George Hay broke through the visitor’s defence to put the ball over the try line. George’s try, combined with Ally Thomson’s subsequent conversion, appeared to put Waid comfortably ahead at 20-11. However, RAF Kinloss were not prepared to concede defeat just yet. Just two minutes after Waid’s try, the visitors scored from another penalty, making it 20-14. A few minutes later they almost had the ball over the try line, but their efforts were thwarted by a spectacular try saving tackle from vice-captain Mark Stormonth. Despite Kinloss’ late comeback efforts, Waid still seemed the likely winners until a dramatic turn of events in the dying moments of the game. Three minutes into injury time, Kinloss scored a try bringing the score to 20-19. The game rested on a knife edge as Kinloss prepared to take the conversion; a successful kick would ensure their promotion and a miss would guarantee Waid’s victory. Waid’s prayers were answered as the ball sailed wide of the posts, assuring them a place in division one next season.
After the game, injured captain Barry Gourlay said “I’m over the moon with the result today. We weren’t sure how the game would go, considering how many players we were missing, and it went right to the wire. It was so frustrating, for me, having to watch the game from the side lines, I was desperate to get on there! But I was also really proud of all the guys out there on the park.” Club President Mick McCowan commented “This is a great day for Waid FPs; what a brilliant way to round off a fantastic season. We’ve only lost two league games all season and one of those was against Stirling Uni, the eventual league winners. The players, and everyone associated with the club, have really worked hard for this and it is thoroughly deserved”
On Saturday, Waid recorded another victory in their penultimate league game of the season, with a resounding win over Montrose. However, they paid a price for having to play on into the summer months, with the hard ground causing difficulties during the match. Despite this, Waid easily controlled the game and scored tries from Barry Gourlay (2), Mark Stormonth (2), Marc Horsburgh, Ian Brocklebank, Mick McCowan and Robert Horsburgh, while Ally Thomson’s conversion kicking was on top form. Montrose were only able to reply with 17 points, to make the score 57-17. Man of the match points were awarded to Barry Gourlay 3, Duncan Fraser 2 and Mark Stormonth 1.
Unfortunately, with just two minutes to go until full time, Waid’s captain Barry Gourlay was carried off the park after suffering a serious ankle injury. He will now miss the remainder of the season, including the crucial play-off against RAF Kinloss, on 5th May, as he recovers from torn ligaments in his ankle. Vice captain Mark Stormonth said after the game “We had a really good game today, with lots of players putting in strong individual performances, but it was unfortunate that Barry got injured right at the end. His studs got caught in the dry ground as he turned to pass the ball. This is why we shouldn’t be playing at this time of year; the hard, dry ground can cause all sorts of problems for players”. Barry will join several other key players who will be unavailable for the play-off, meaning that this will probably be the most difficult game of the season so far.
Next Saturday, Waid take on Bannockburn in what will be their final league game of a very long season. Bannockburn are currently 3rd bottom of the Midland Caledonian League, whilst Waid have guaranteed their second placed spot and play-off place.
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*Loads of booze
*Party Food
*The first Waid F.P's air guitar competition (top prizes!)
*Top sounds with our resident HI-FI DJ "Mark Da Shark"
*Prize Draws
*French Alpine bears wrestling in the yard!!
Be there or be on the recieving end of Paton's boner!!
Please note... If you want to enter the air guitar competition, please bring a cd with your song of choice on it, unless you want to do 'Dirty Old town' by the Pogues or something off that 90's indy mix cd behind the bar! Also Air guitars aren't provided by the club so please bring your own!
Kick off - 6PM
8 week ago
Stuart Ferrier
Whitley Bay - Tour info
Friday 25th April
12 noon - Clubhouse open - Cac on the bar
1.45pm
7s trophy arrives from Dundee. Bus picks us from Clubhouse. Beer allowed, but get this NO FOOD on bus (Snacks take heed!)
We are travelling in Kilts and rugby tops (Waid ones preferably). Stopping in Haddington to pick up some Harris guys and we'll get some grub there as well as a pint or 2. Then invading Eng-er-land and landing in Whitley Bay early evening.
Still one place available should anyone else fancy it. Get in touch with me soonest.
10 week ago
Stuart Ferrier
it'll be a blood bath on the coach. . . . . .i hope the wheel chair's coming down with us, we'll need it to get him from A to B due to energy lossage
10 week ago
Gary McLaggan
Whats Snacks going to do all the way down to England without being allowed anything to eat?!?
Calum Archibald
Last away League game of the season on saturday....Tonic for the bus, few pints then finish off on the bombs!
i'll open the club when we get back for those interested.
23 week ago
Calum Archibald
Murray still lives in Anster....He has a page on here....not too sure where his sister is though.
23 week ago
Jackie Moffat
Hello all,
am trying to locate Murray or Alison Hughes.... Does anyone have any idea of their whereabouts?
Thanks
28 week ago
Kirkcaldy Ladies Rugby Club
Any females out there wishing to try rugby come along to kirkcaldy. I know its a trek but weel worth it if you get a car load together - get fte make new friends great social life, waid men tell all your crazy female friends tue/thur pm beveridge park fro Jan 8th --
28 week ago
Stuart Ferrier
is it a double X L ? ? if so it's in the changing room in the club next to skid row
