Stewartry Under-18s lifted the Glasgow West Bowl after a thrilling victory over Cartha Queen’s Park on Saturday.
A crowd of around 150 turned out at Greenlaw to see a tremendous cup final between two evenly-matched rugby teams.
Although Cartha were the favourites, as they play in a higher division, the Blacks dug deep to win 16-10.
Stewartry started very hard and fast and put pressure on the Cartha defence line. Cartha resisted the first two or three pushes but on the third series of plays Fraser Forsyth scored.
Stewartry kept up the pressure until the end of the first quarter when Cartha came right back into the game, scoring a fine equalising try after excellent forward work.
Stewartry RFC under-18s qualify for Scotland West Bowl final at Dumfries' expenses
The Blacks came right back and Frank Gwynne slotted a penalty from well out to make it 8-5 to Stewartry, who ended the first half with a player sin binned for a high tackle.
The second half was similar to the first, with 14-man Stewartry scoring in the corner through Lochie Spence. Cartha bounced back quickly and scored another unconverted try, taking the score to 13-10.
And when the Blacks stepped up another gear they won another penalty, Frank Gwynne slotting over easily to make it 16-10.
It was only serious tackling and putting bodies on the line that kept Cartha out in the last 15 minutes. Stewartry had another player in the sin bin so had to play 10 of the last 15 minutes back at only 14.
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Tommy McGrath put in a massive cover tackle to knock the stuffing out of the away team and himself as he had to go off injured. Lochie Spence put in tackle after tackle to help pin Cartha back until Stewartry had 15 men on the park for the last five minutes.
A massive kick and chase upfield ran the clock down. Pressure by Ali Wood forced Cartha to knock on and the game was over, Stewartry recording a well deserved cup and league double.
So many players put their bodies on the line in the game but centre Lochie Spence deservedly won man of the match.
Only the sevens tournaments remain with the Cussie Cup Dumfries Sevens on Sunday and Ardrossan Sevens on Saturday, May 18.
Stewartry tries: 1 – Fraser Forsyth; Lochie Spence; penalties: 2– Frank Gwynne.
Squad: Andy Budde (captain), Lochie Spence, Connor McGuire, Ryan Cochrane, Gregor Todd, Oskar Kapron, Finlay Smith, Finlay Telfer, Archie Nicolson, Logan O’Malley, Ryan Kerr, Alistair Wood, Pacey Ho, Tommy McGrath, Fergus Fisher, Aiden Dunbar, Frank Gwynne, Fraser Forsyth.
