Game On, Coats On: Shire Roll with the Punches Against Spirited Uddingston

Arnold Clark West Regional League 2
Wigtownshire RFC 71 - 31 Uddingston RFC

Despite the forecast doing its best to scare everyone into packing snorkels, the rain stayed away and instead delivered a cold but thankfully dry afternoon at Stranraer — perfect rugby weather, provided you remembered your gloves.

Shire came into the game with fond memories of an October trip to Uddingston that ended in a 42–33 win, though nobody had forgotten the rather uncomfortable time the Shire pack spent at scrum time that day. Plenty of work had gone into tightening things up on the training paddock in recent weeks, and this fixture felt like a good opportunity to see if those sessions had paid off.

The day, however, had other ideas.

A morning phone call from Uddingston explained that one of their cars had expired just outside Glasgow, casting doubt on whether they’d arrive in time to complete a full match before darkness fell. With cancellation or a late-season replay both unappealing, Shire dusted off the rulebook and offered the ‘Game On’ rules — matching Uddingston’s numbers for a minimum of 40 minutes to ensure a result. Credit to both sides, it was agreed without fuss.

Kick-off was delayed by 30 minutes and, when it finally arrived, it was 13-a-side and very much game on.

First Half
Shire wasted no time adjusting to the unusual circumstances, opening the scoring within minutes. Fullback Andrew McMillan finished smartly out wide, with Blair Forsyth calmly slotting a tricky conversion to get things moving.

Uddingston, short on numbers but certainly not on heart, hit back immediately with a converted try under the posts. That was enough to remind Shire that this was not going to be a gentle afternoon stroll.

Once heads were firmly screwed back on, Wigtownshire began to turn the screw. Quick-fire tries from Neil Forsyth, Robin McAuley, and Jason McKie secured the all-important bonus point and kept Shire in touch with Cambuslang after last weekend’s defeat.

Coach Paul Dooley made full use of his bench, giving all eight replacements game time before the interval. The scoring didn’t slow either — Neil Forsyth crossed for his second, Mark Pirrie took the most direct route possible over the line, and James Rankin provided a moment of contrast by pirouetting his way to his first try in Shire blue.

Uddingston refused to go quietly and finished the half with their second try of the day.

Half-time: Wigtownshire 45 – 19 Uddingston

Second Half
The second half picked up exactly where the first left off. Jason McKie, turning out on the wing — one of the few positions he hasn’t tried this season — grabbed his second try of the afternoon.

Uddingston responded once again with a well-worked score, continuing to show exactly why they’re a side nobody enjoys playing, regardless of numbers.

Then it was Neil Forsyth time. First, he completed his hat-trick, using every bit of pace he had to stay clear of the chasing pack. Not content with three, he soon added a fourth for good measure.

The final Shire try came courtesy of the scrum-half, who noticed a brief but decisive disappearance of the Uddingston defence at a ruck on halfway and took full advantage, sniping through and racing under the posts.

With Uddingston forced down to 12 players following an injury, the referee sensibly called time ten minutes early — but not before the visitors crossed twice more to secure their own four-try bonus point, a reward fully deserved for their efforts.

Summary
For a match that could very easily have fallen victim to logistics, this turned into a valuable and enjoyable afternoon of rugby. Shire benefited from giving several players much-needed game time, while Uddingston were rightly appreciative of the flexibility shown in agreeing to the Game On rules.

They enjoyed their visit so much that most of the Uddingston squad stayed on to join the Ex-Players’ Day celebrations in the clubhouse before catching the last train home — proof that rugby hospitality is alive and well in Stranraer.

Man of the Match
Leswalt Village Store Man of the Match went to Mark Pirrie. Despite Neil Forsyth’s impressive four-try haul, forwards coach Paul Dooley highlighted Pirrie’s attitude in the warm-up and his relentless, direct carrying into the Uddingston pack all afternoon.

Next Up
Shire are back on the road next Saturday with an away trip to Waysiders Drumpellier.

Team
A. McMillan, J. McKie, B. Burnett, S. Forsyth (c), B. Forsyth, R. McAuley, N. Forsyth, A. Dunbar, I. Allan, J. Rennie, J. McConnell, A. McClymont, J. McGarvie
Replacements: J. Rankin, A. Slavin, M. Pirrie, G. Dunlop, S. McAuley, O. Kelly, R. Drysdale, A. Ingram