Livingston RFC v west of Scotland

Result: 17 - 32

West achieved their target of a bonus point win against Livingston at Almond Park with a comfortable 1st half display. The second half was disappointing with several opportunities lost and tries gifted to the opposition.

West put almost instant pressure on the home side with the wind in their favour and the low sun at their back. With only 5 minutes on the clock a foray into the Livingston 22 pulled in the home defence and winger Fintan Cuthbertson got the first try on the board with Blair Smith converting.

From the kick off West again rumbled into the Livingston 22 and gained a penalty in front of the posts which Blair duly converted. West were 10 points up with only 7 minutes played.

The home side tightened up their defence but were unable to turn this into any sustained attack with West turning over several ruck balls and breaking through repeatedly. What must be the best try of the season for West came after 20 minutes from one such stolen ball with a break on the right field within the West half surging upfield and excellent passing pulling the defence one way then the other. Calum Morrison finally pulled the home defence infield then slipped the ball to winger Sam McKenzie to score beside the posts, duly converted by Blair.

The third try came from a penalty just inside the West half which was kicked to touch with the ball driven from the resulting line out and Gus Thomson peeling off to score out wide. The conversion this time was missed.

A moment's carelessness by the visitors gave Livingston their first points on the board. A clearance kick from the West 22 was charged down and quick thinking by the Livingston winger Jimmy Carroll gave them their first try, converted by their stand-off Kerr Anderson. West however replied just before half time after concerted pressure in the home 22 and a couple of penalties saw them drive over the line with hooker Darren Allen scoring. This brought the half time score to a healthy 7 -27 and an early 4 try bonus point for West.

With the wind against West and the low sun in their eyes the home side came much more into the game in the second half, kicking for territory. This helped result in a kickable penalty for them which they duly converted. West managed to reply when a foray into the home half saw Gavin Thomson touch down out wide for West?s 5th try, conversion missed. Uncontested scrums became the order of the day with Livingston running out of fit front row. Perhaps by now resting on their laurels West carelessness cost them a home try when a penalty was quickly taken and the home side ran in a try under the posts. Final score 17-32.