BT West One

KILMARNOCK 25

GARNOCK 10

by Tom Dickson

A MUCH-changed Garnock side travelled to East Ayrshire to take on Kilmarnock in their search for precious league points.

Devastated by injuries Garnock were forced to play a makeshift squad.

However far from fazing then this seemed to lift the spirits of the valley side who battled hard throughout the match.

Kilmarnock kicked off towards the industrial site area but suffered a blow when they were immediately penalised for an offside offence. Chrissie Neill, playing at stand off, cleared to the Kilmarnock 22 metre area.

The visitors maintained the pressure well inside the Kilmarnock half but could not really threaten the try line.

Play swung from end to-end with neither side looking like scoring. It took a penalty from Killie stand off Scott Brown to put the home side in the lead by 3 -0 after 15 minutes.

Garnock rallied and forced play well inside the home half. They were rewarded in 23 minutes when Neill converted a penalty from 30 metres out and near the touchline to level the scores at 3 -3.

Four minutes later Killie moved in front when they won a scrum 30 metres out and transferred the ball through several pairs of hands for Andy Milloy to score in the corner. Brown converted and Killie moved 10- 3 ahead after 27 minutes.

In the last five minutes of the half, Garnock moved closer and closer to the Kilmarnock line in a series of pick and drives. On the stroke of half-time the pack crossed the line for Matt Shiells to score a well-worked try. Neill converted to again level the scores at 10 all at the end of the half.

The second half was a drab affair with the home backs trying to force a way through or past the Garnock defence which was stalwart in their tackling.

The Garnock pack was stronger in the set and dominant in the lineout. Chances were missed to break the deadlock but it took until 63 minutes until that happened.

Again in a fine inter passing movement Kilmarnock scored a try with the best move of the game so far in the left hand corner. Brown converted to make it 17 -10 in Kilmarnock's favour..

Then Brown. heaped yet more pressure on Garnock with a penalty conversion in 73 minutes.

With the game petering out, Kilmarnock cleared the ball from their own 22 area with a long punt.

They chased the ball and won the touchdown in the right hand corner. The conversion was missed and the score moved on to 25-10 to Kilmarnock at full-time.

On Saturday Garnock play Newton Stewart at Lochshore with a 2pm kick-off/.

They will be hoping to bounce back following the derby defeat but will face a tough test against a Newton Stewart side fresh from a 24-15 victory against Carrick at the weekend.