It was a lovely sunny day at Pennypit park as Preston Lodge kicked off up the slope against their North Lanarkshire visitors Cumbernauld. The home team would enjoy the vast majority of territorial advantage during the first half and should have had the game well won by half time, but could not quite string together enough coherent phases of play to make that happen.

Despite almost constant pressure, it was fifteen minutes into the game before the first scoring opportunity arose. Cumbernauld were adjudged to have dived in at a ruck on their own twenty-two and were duly penalised. Home stand-off Greig Leitch punished them further by kicking the penalty for a 3 – 0 lead.

Just two minutes later the visitors should have been level, but their stand-off, Alex Stokes put the easiest of penalties wide of the posts.

During a further period of pressure, the PL forwards had twice forced their way over the try line, but were held up each time. On the half hour mark however, the ball was moved along the backs and winger Dougie Thomson accepted a long pass on the touchline, thirty metres out and just managed to stay in play as he crossed in the corner. Leitch added the conversion for a 10 – 0 lead. There being no more scoring during the half, this was also the half time score.

Cumbernauld kicked off for the second half and immediately conceded another try. PL ran the ball from their own half and finally put a few phases of play together which allowed Leitch to force his way over the line. He missed the conversion from wide out. PL now had a 15-0 advantage.

Cumbernauld now came more into the game, their cause helped when PL had two players yellow carded and so played for twenty minutes of the half with only fourteen players.

It was PL however who scored during the first sin binning. Second row, Blair Cowan was driven over after a prolonged period of pressure on the visitor’s line. Leitch again converted to complete PL’s scoring and with a 22-0 advantage they looked to have the game won.

Cumbernauld dominated the rest of the game and they eventually got their reward with a rather fortuitous try. A speculative kick ahead to the line saw two PL players try to gather the ball, both failed and the ball stopped just over the try line where visiting hooker Ross Cowie flopped on it for the try. Stokes added the conversion.

Although PL could have done with another try to gain a bonus point, it was Cumbernauld who looked the more likely to score. They failed to do so and that left the final score at 22 – 7 for the Pennypit Park men.

Next Saturday, PL travel to Cambuslang, the Club that was relegated along with them last season.

Preston Lodge team:
C Guiney, J Brash, J Armstrong, A Wood, D Thomson, G Leitch, W Easton, S McLean, N Marsh, K Duncan, B Cowan, D Naismith, E Thayne, C Dixon & P Voy.

Replacements:
A Blair, D Wardell & C McLean.