The league campaign resumed after a break for poor weather and the festive period, with Falkirk travelling to Anstruther to play Waid. Falkirk last game was against todays opponents in early November 12, so both teams were biting at the bit, eager to be unleashed into the fray once more.

Falkirk had rotated it’s squad and fielded a starting 15 filled with potential and some experience. From the outset, Falkirk kicked deep and in the first 5 minutes had their opponents on the back foot with aggressive and committed tackling but fair play to Waid they did not buckle and were giving as good as they received. Alas that initial promise was short lived and both teams showed rustiness from the long layoff as the game became littered with simple but frustrating mistakes. However, that elusive early promise was to return as the teams began to show their skills alongside their commitment.

The game was evenly matched but Falkirk were first to open the scoring, good work between forwards and backs moved the visitors down the Waid right flank, good presentation at the breakdown gave quick ball to scrum half Rob Fairweather who began to control the flow of the play and like a conductor of an orchestra he directed his team mates upwards and onwards in search of that elusive opener. Falkirk scored their first try of the game, conversion missed. Falkirk added another try soon after, a line break from Rob broke the game line and put the visitors in the Waid back field, again quick recycling of the ball created an overlap for the Falkirk backs to exploit and score, try converted.

Waid were not about to lie down and surrender and fought their way into the Falkirk 22, good retention of the ball allowed them to move closer and closer to the Falkirk goal line where they eventually breached the visitors defence and scored, try converted.

This only spurred on the Falkirk team and it was them who scored next, winning their opponents lineout the backs quickly realigned and attacked the Waid defence which had stayed deep, with Waid on the back foot and space to use the backs took their opportunity to score, try converted. Falkirk were to finish the first half scoring, yet another line break by the scrum half gave the Falkirk team good field position, choosing the right option they used the pick and go as they sought to draw in the Waid defence, the space was created and Falkirk scored, conversion missed

Half Time:

Waid 7 v Falkirk 24

Falkirk emptied their bench with fresh legs and experience coming into the game. Falkirk were the dominant team in the 2nd half scoring another 6 tries and converting 4 of them. Arguably their best try came in the last play of the game. Ripping the ball from an attacking Waid player at the Falkirk 10 metre line the forwards counterattacked, moving the point of contact by good offloading the home team found it difficult to slow them down, they were eventually stopped but the ball was recycled and passed out to the now rampaging backs who made hay and advanced deep into the right side of Waid’s 22, again good retention from the visiting team pushed them closer to the Waid goal line, seeing the space the call was made for hands and the ball was spun along the line for Falkirk to score in the corner.

Final Score:

Waid 7 v Falkirk 60

Falkirk try scorers were Gregor Ramsay (3), Craig Reid (2), Euan Rooney (2), Jamie Sime (1), Cameron Couper (1) and Kyle Crossley (1).

Considering the length of time since our last game this turned out to be a good win and performance, the rustiness from not playing was evident at the start but as the game progressed the players began to re-discover their skills. Our backline showed a lot more promise and was beginning to run from depth making them more potent, it was good to see our less experienced players stepping up and doing the business, they can only gain from this experience. You can only play what is in front of you, seeing and assessing what options are available and then choosing the correct option is a difficult skill and is something that we have struggled with this season as players have ball hogged and had white line fever. It was very pleasing to see an improvement in this area, evidence not only in the game but by the variety of players scoring and whilst there is still room for improvement the coaches hope that the team have turned this particular corner.

There were many strong performances with the 22 man squad. In the first half Rob Fairweather had an outstanding half with his service, marshalling of the troops and line breaks, in the second half Kyle Crossley star shone bright, dominating the front of the lineout, dynamic in the loose and he even managed to catch not one but both of the restarts that came his way. Both of these players would have been in contention for man of the match if they had played more than a half but equally another player was also playing extremely well, he never missed a tackle, organised the players around him and was forever dangerous with ball in hand.

Man of the match: Ben Edmond