tewartry started the new season with a crushing victory over Cambuslang at Greenlaw on Saturday.
The 52-5 success was the Blacks’ biggest ever opening day league victory and puts them top of Tennent’s West Division One — the perfect way to start the club’s 50th anniversary season.
Playing in glorious sunshine but with a blustery wind Stewartry quickly won possession and Andrew Picken took play to within 10 metres of the Cambuslang try line, winning a penalty for offside.
Captain John Picken duly dispatched the kick for three points with a minute played.
The first try arrived after seven minutes, good play involving both Pickens and Robert Austin making it an easy score for David Steele. John Picken added the extras.
The Blacks were on a charge and Jason Forsyth got their second try two minutes later, John Picken converting again for a 17-0 lead after just 10 minutes.
Stewartry continued to press and, from a scrum, the ball was released out to John Muir on the wing and he made his customary 30 metre jinking run towards the Cambuslang line.
After numerous penalty awards against Cambuslang, they were reduced to 14 men with a yellow card to one of their forwards.
This fired the visitors up and the depleted side scored their try in the corner after 20 minutes.
However, after 34 minutes, Muir found his way through the Cambuslang defence again, jinking through from 20 metres. John Picken added the conversion.
There were two more tries before half-time. Ally McMorran made a nifty pass back inside to No8 Steven Hogg who scored the bonus-point fourth try between the points.
Man of the match Hogg then put Danny Boyd through and he released Austin for the fifth try. Both were converted by John Picken giving Stewartry a 38-5 half-time advantage.
From the restart, Merlin Lawrence made his debut on the wing for the Blacks with Steele moving into the forwards and he was soon in the action with a pass from Boyd giving him his first touch of the ball and he was over the whitewash in a flash for a debut try.
John Picken continued his 100-per-cent kicking conversions.
Stewartry finished the scoring in spectacular style with four minutes to go. A 10 man passing move culminated in John Picken scoring the seventh try and he added the conversion himself.
The final play of the day saw veteran centre Boyd chip into touch in the corner as he completed his 300th game for the Blacks.
