Ground: Milntown, Langholm, Dumfriesshire,
Scotland
(½ mile North of Langholm on the A7)
The following is a complete record of the 1997/8 Season.
This major event in Langholm Rugby Club's calendar took place on Saturday 16th May at Milntown. The first tie kicked off at 2pm.
Galashiels fielded a first-rate team who progressed comfortably through the field to win convincingly against Melrose in the final. The Langholm lads did very well against Biggar, a higher rated team, but fell victim to runners-up Melrose in the second round.
Boroughmuir were unable to take part, so a President's Seven was formed in their place, and included players from Langholm and West of Scotland.
After the tournament, the prizes and cups were presented by Colin Birrell, Marketing Director of The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Ltd.
Vidcap © D. Harkness 1998
Here are the full results:
| Round 1 | Round 2 | Semi-Finals | Final
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| ===================== | ==== | ============ | ==== | ============= | ==== | ============ | ====
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| Kelso v. | 0 | Jedforest | 12
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| Jedforest | 33 | v.
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| Hawick v. | 33 | Hawick | 48 | Hawick | 19
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| Kirkcaldy | 7 | v.
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| West of Scotland v. | 14 | Peebles | 8 | Galashiels | 24
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| Peebles | 36 | v.
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| Galashiels v. | 39 | Galashiels | 29 | Galashiels | 58
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| Stirling County | 5 | v.
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| Biggar v. | 12 | Langholm | 17 | Melrose | 7
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| Langholm | 43 | v.
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| Glasgow Hawks v. | 26 | Melrose | 31 | Melrose | 39
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| Melrose | 33 | v.
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| President's v. | 17 | Selkirk | 17 | Selkirk | 7
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| Selkirk | 31 | v.
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| Watsonians v. | 43 | Watsonians | 10
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| Stewartry | 12
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Gala fielded a very strong team for this match, in order to secure leadership of the Border League. The final score masks a valiant effort on Langholm's part to hold the Gala team right up to the last twenty minutes of the game, when the score still stood at 0 - 17. The Langholm lads finally succumbed to exhaustion and this allowed Gala to romp in with a number of late tries. [IL]
Sadly, another defeat, this time by one of Scotland's top teams. The boys did well considering that they were well outclassed, and save for a few debatable refereeing decisions which went against us, we might have done considerably better. [IL]
Langholm went into the lead after about 25 minutes, and from there on dominated the game, despite several brave attempts on Peebles' part to break away and score. An uplifting game - the players seemed to be enjoying it, despite the worsening rain. A clean sheet and a bonus point to boot was a welcome result! [IL]
Another defeat - Once again, a depleted team were beaten by a higher-rated side.
Not a good result. Put simply, our young team were thrashed by one of Scotland's best sides. However, this should be seen in context - the team acquitted itself well despite appalling odds.
The Langholm Junior Sevens, played at Milntown on 4th April, was won by Hawick Trades. Langholm were defeated by Hawick Trades in the second round.
Jed motored into an early lead and dominated the first half. However, the Langholm lads rallied in the second half to secure an honourable defeat. [IL]
Best that we draw a veil over this one. Langholm suffered from the absence of five players, who were away at a pre-arranged function. Sadly, the lighter forwards remaining were outclassed both in the scrum and at the lineout, and whilst much hard effort was put in, the heavier East Kilbride team, with the influence of an apparently hostile referee, won through in the end. [IL]
Langholm were on smashing form. According to Coach Wal Hislop, 'This was the best rugby we've played this season' - despite a few selection problems. The result was quite an unexpected shock for Premier League team Kelso.
According to player 'Skinner' Basnett, 'We were thoroughly enjoying ourselves'. [IL]
Langholm took the lead in the first half, but, having conceded three penalties during some indifferent play, the half-time score was 9 - 10. With a try, Corstorphine moved into the lead in the second half. This was the spur that the Langholm lads needed to get their act into gear and after some excellent play we were rewarded with victory and a bonus point. [TS]
Langholm burst into the lead in the first few minutes, but started losing it about twenty minutes into the game when Trinity Academicals came back strongly to take the lead. Eventually a pushover try restored Langholm to a 13 - 11 lead by half time.
After a slogging second half in very sticky ground conditions, a late Mark Grieve try robbed Academicals of their bonus point. [IL]
This was a disappointing result. Langholm started off quite brightly, scoring a penalty after eight minutes, then a try after fifteen. After that, the game literally went to pot.
Half-time score 10 - 8
At least we came back with one point. [RHJ]
This match was postponed after a complaint by the Hawick Captain that the pitch was dangerous due to rain. The Referee agreed.
What can we say? The team had scored enough to make a bonus point by twenty minutes into the game and went on almost to a clean sweep - nine tries and four conversions - up to the last minute, when a lucky break gave Hutchesons-Aloysians a chance to recover some of their dignity by scoring a try, which was converted in injury time!
Notable during the game were two magnificent pushover tries. The other seven tries proved once again that running the ball is the way to victory. [IL]
The match started off slowly, but all of a sudden got into gear after about ten minutes, with Langholm reaching half time having already made their bonus point; the score 0 - 24 leaving Dunfermline looking quite demoralised.
After what must have been a miraculous pep talk, Dunfermline returned in the second half to recover their self respect by scoring no less than 19 points to Langholm's further 10, but not enough to overcome our team's commanding lead. [IL]
In very muddy conditions Langholm forwards quickly established superiority. First half scores came from Andrew Jeffrey and two splendid runs by Benty Johnstone. Colin Turk added two conversion kicks to bring the score to 19 - 3 at half time.
Alan Hotson completed the scoring with a try in the second half. Given the conditions, Langholm certainly earned their bonus point. [RHJ]
Right from the start Langholm dominated the match, scoring and converting a try within the first ten minutes, followed by a penalty later on. Haddington fought back, however, and brought the score to 10 - 5 by half-time.
In the second half, Langholm regained their dominance over a tiring Haddington to end the game with a good final score.
Had it not been for a number of fumbled passes, Langholm should have scored in excess of thirty points. The referee commented after the game that the ground had been so sticky that the passing players were overestimating the speed at which the catching player could move towards the ball. [IL]
Cold, wet and windy just about sums it up. Langholm's performance matched the weather, and despite the heavy ground conditions, they managed to hold Peebles to an overall 12 point lead. [TS]
This, our annual New Year 'International', was a game played according to the weather and ground conditions - atrocious! Back play was good but the scrummaging was poor. Good rucking and lineout performance compensated. The half-time score was Carlisle 3, Langholm 6. [TS]
Tuesday night's Border League home game against Kelso was cancelled - the pitch was waterlogged!
Considering that we were playing against one of Scotland's top teams, the score was not surprising. The boys played well throughout, and were most certainly not walked over. [RHJ]
This is a game we should have won if we'd got our goal-kicking right! [RHJ]
Eighth win in a row and another bonus point!
Corstorphine scored a penalty in the third minute, followed by an equalising Colin Turk penalty three minutes later. Another, thirty minutes into the game, took Langholm into the lead. Just before half time, 'Benty' Johnstone ran in a try after a great run by 'Fuzzy' Park, the conversion by Colin Turk taking the score to 13 - 3. In the second half, Langholm took complete control of the game after heavy pressure. Four more tries were run in. To the amazement of the home crowd, Davy Gordon failed to score!
This evening (Friday 21st November) Langholm RFC President Ralph Jackson presented former Langholm fullback Chuck Muir with a crystal decanter to commemorate his first game as an International Referee at the U.S.A. v Wales match in San Francisco on 12th July last. Once the press had gone, Willie Mitchell presented him with the club's 'private' memento, a white stick fitted with hand operated warning bell and self-steering guidewheel, to assist him in his refereeing duties.
Seventh win in a row! Langholm's forwards played very well for the first sixty minutes but faded somewhat towards the end. However, they managed to defend their lead to the end of the game. Despite this, it was a good team effort. [TS]
Half-time score: 13 - 5
After an early Langholm score, Forrester applied strong pressure but in heavy conditions Langholm began to control the game. With a half-time lead of 17 - 3, second half pressure brought further scores to bring in a comprehensive win. [RHJ]
The game took a wee while to get going, but after about 25 minutes Langholm came to life and ran in three tries before half time. In the second half, Langholm kept up the pressure to win the game with a clean sheet and a bonus point, which now takes us to fourth position in the division.
This was further evidence that the team is now getting its act together, with just a glimmer of promotion prospects if it can keep on improving its performance. [IL]
The Langholm forwards played a much better game than they have been doing recently. Their performance in the first thirty minutes laid the foundations for three good tries, but their concentration tended to lapse after that and they eventually conceded a try at the end of the first half.
The second half performance was more mixed. Two penalties were scored, but the team otherwise failed to use their advantage to score the elusive fourth try and thus gain a bonus point. Overall this was a much better performance and a deserved win. [TS]
A lively start by Langholm wherein they built up a half time score of 21 points to 3 decided the outcome of this game. Dunfermline came back strongly in the second half but Langholm's hard-running backs saw further Langholm scores to secure a comfortable win. [RHJ]
After a promising start when Langholm led by 10 - 0, the forwards still failed to dominate as they should have done over lower league opponents. The seven tries were all scored by the backs. [TS]
2nd XV: Langholm 10 Kelso 29
Despite the score, Langholm played a good game against the Scottish Champions. The forwards were much stronger than they had been over the last couple of weeks. The team defended well and came back strongly in the second half, eventually getting the ball over the line towards the end of the game, although the try was disallowed. [RHJ]
Langholm failed to take advantage of a strong wind in the first half and also gave away an unlucky try, the score by half-time being Duns 5, Langholm 12. The forwards failed to dominate and Duns used the wind to better avail in the second half to gain a deserved victory. [TS]
This was a poorly controlled, ill-tempered game where Langholm needed four replacements. Gary Brannon was seriously fouled early on in the match which set the tone for the rest of the game.
Langholm's failure to win the match was caused by the fact that they were unable to win ball in their own set scrum. [TS]
Visitors Berwick proved to be a side of big men and their heavy pack dominated the scrums. Langholm were obliged to live on scrappy possession, and although the backs made the best of things, it was always an uphill struggle. Berwick tied in the later stages, but contained Langholm's late pressure. [RHJ]
2nd XV: Galashiels [72] Langholm [5]
This Border League match was a hard fought game against higher-ranked opponents and showed much improved form, obviously benefiting from our new training and coaching practices. An entertaining first half ended with the score 13 to 10 in Langholm's favour.
In the second half, the home team asserted their superiority and ran in three further tries to finish comfortable winners. A very good team effort. [RHJ]
Colts: Langholm 7 Duns 6
9th September:
Hawick YM 1st XV [0] v. Langholm 2nd XV [31] (Away)
7th September:
Langholm 2nd XV [37] v. Hawick Lindean 1st XV [8] (Home)
Galashiels Wanderers [20] v. Langholm Colts [17] (Away)
Langholm won a rather scrappy evening game by dint of better technique and fitness; although Carlisle did hold their own in the set pieces for most of the match, eventually fitness told.
This was a trial match where every advantage is taken of replacements, to give everyone a chance for a pre-league warm-up. [TS]
Jedburgh Thistle beat Hawick PSA 26 - 24 in a closely fought final, probably the most exciting for several years. Holders PSA opened the account, but from then on Jed were always in front, the score being 12 - 12 by half time. Jed then scored two further tries and just held on to their lead after PSA made a thrilling comeback.
Langholm went down in the first round to Tynedale who scored in the last seconds of the tie to win 21 - 17. Winger Brian Wilson was the outstanding player for Langholm, and the whole team played well against a sound Tynedale side.
Pat Keeney, Sales Director of Arthur Bell (Scotch Tweeds), presented the trophies. [TS]
Melrose 12, Jed. Thistle 15
Duns 10, Hawick PSA 20
Langholm travelled to meet their Division 1 opponents with a team containing seven reserves due to injury and unavailability. Despite this Langholm played very strongly, particularly in the pack, and gave Jed all the trouble they could handle. The score at half time was Jed 10, Langholm 5, from a try by Craig Hislop.
In the second half Langholm were further handicapped when losing Andrew Jeffrey, Mark Rutherford and the greatly influential Gregor Park through injuries. In the closing stages Langholm conceded two tries, one converted. The game was much more even than the final score suggests. [RHJ]
Contributors: [RHJ] = Ralph Jackson [TS] = Tom Stothart [IL] = Iain Logan
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