Paisley continue to develop the Second XV and the performance bodes well for the future.

With a couple of enforced changes just before kickoff Paisley did not take to the field with a settled pack.  Several backs were playing out of position and the heavens had opened.  No one says this is an easy sport.

Within 3 minutes guest prop David Cairns was on the pitch after back row Craig Thompson suffered a dislocated elbow stopping a determined Cumnock drive.  With a prop in the second row and a second row in the back row Paisley forwards set about giving an object lesson in pack power to the visitors.

Decimating the Cumnock pack in the scrum and forcing turn-over after turn-over the Ayrshire team turned to their backs in an attempt to run round a Paisley team whose fitness was suspect.  At first this paid off with an unconverted score but Paisley quickly knucked down to the task.

With an improvised centre pairing of James Dayer and Mark Conroy showing maturity  beyond their years they led a defence which frustrated their opponents.  Driving towards our line Cumnock did not like having such a determined set of players in front of them and one of them decided that punching was easier than digging the ball out.  He was sent for a ten minute break for his troubles but unfortunately a misqueued kick to touch from the penalty was run back through a sleeping Paisley defence.

With 80% of the possession in the first half Cumnock had made heavy weather of their 0-10 lead.

After the break Paisley showed that the pitch was clearly on a slope.  Having spent all the first half camped on their own 22 they spent almost all of the second attacking that same line finishing out the second half with the 80% possession Cumnock had enjoyed.  With only a soap-like ball and one shocker of a decision from the referee stopping the home side from crossing the line.

With the rain and wind causing problems and full back Andy Baker making easy work of the high balls sent his way Euan Stuart kicked a good number of garryowens which resulted in the Cumnock backs being trapped by the chasers.  This gave the home forwards the opportunity to arrive at the breakdowns going forward and keeping the attack going.

However declining easy kicks on goal, preferring to go after the higher risk scoring strategy did not pay off for Paisley captain Ron Kane. The few times that Cumnock overcame their weakness in the scrums and almost total lack of possession from lineouts they were able to slip through tired defenders in the midfield having surrendered the forward battle at half-time.  These scores were particularly hard to take because they went against the run of play.

On the final whistle a lot of positives could be taken.  A pack which is continuing the club tradition of brutal front five play paired with hard back row running linking with a back line willing to try high risk strategies bodes well for the future. When injuries and 1XV replacement call ups come to an end the team will be in a very strong position.

Man of the Match went to full back Andy Baker who coped with the weather really well while still essentially learning the position. 

DotD went to Mark Conroy for a bizarre full weight kick 5 meters from the Cumnock try line which passed dead ball at an altitude of about 20 feet and almost landed on the firsts pitch.  That and his video on YouTube.