Kilmarnock travelled with a depleted team last Saturday and a below par performance saw them defeated 27-12 by hosts Allan Glens.
Little went the way of the visitors who misfielded from the switch kick-off which allowed Glens to force a scrum five. At the second attempt Glens won the scrum and moved the ball from stand-off to centre for a try close to the posts, the conversion gave the home team a 7-0 lead with barely two minutes on the clock.
The teams played a kick and chase game in the next ten minutes with Kilmarnock loosing two penalties which were converted to give a 13-0 lead.
Kilmarnock were on the back foot as the home side dominated possession but gradually gained composure and despite several failed backline moves it was the forwards who forced play into the Glens 22 area. Graeme Dick led a charge to the line and forced a scrum five metres short, the Kilmarnock scrum pushed over with Dave McLeaod credited with the try which was converted by Colin Sturgeon after half an hour. 13-7.
The remainder of the half saw both teams move the ball with MacKenzie Pearce winning a couple of penalties and John Brown winning a turnover ball to keep the opposition at bay. The half time pep talk appeared to inspire the Kilmarnock side at the start of the second half, Gordon Laurie replaced Greg Andrew and from the first scrum the number eight picked up and gained ground, the ball was passed to stand-off Sturgeon who broke through the defence, a score looked certain but the ball was dropped inches from the tryline and Glens kicked clear. Kilmarnock continued to pressure the home side and a promising backline for Kilmarnock faltered as a stray pass was dropped and intercepted by Glens who raced 50metres to score a second try. The easy conversion gave the home side a 20-7 lead. Glens looked more intent than the visitors and stemmed the Kilmarnock attacks in the next quarter. Taylor McHarg replaced Kieran Grant in the second row as the Kilmarnock scrum came under pressure. Scrum half Lauder was harried by his opposite number and rescued the day with an interception to mount an attack from defence, he passed to Sturgeon who was engulfed and luckily won a scrum. The stand-off kicked and was late tackled which was ignored allowing Glens to counter attack.
In a frantic spell Kilmarnock were given three consecutive penalties which they tapped to break out of defence. A Kilmarnock lineout was lost and the influential Glens scrum half kicked upfield and the forwards gave chase and encamped in the Kilmarnock 22 area.
A scrum five to the home side put Kilmarnock under further pressure and the ball was readily shipped to the inside centre who burst through the ailing Kilmarnock defence for another converted try, 27-7 with five minutes remaining.
Gordon Laurie left the field with a rib injury and Greg Andrew returned to the game.
Kilmarnock showed some resilience in the las few minutes with some defensive work and in the last move of the game Kilmarnock fielded a Glens kick with Colin Sturgeon making ground, he passed to centre Greg Montgomery who raced upfield with young winger Sam Diamond in support who collected a pass and swept round the defence to score in the corner. Sturgeon missed the conversion leaving Glens worthy winners 27-12.