With the 2XV game called off I could not resist the opportunity to cheer on the 1XV and get my first taste of the Forries/Wandies derby.
I arrived at the ground at around 1.20pm and walked over to where the lads were warming up. It brought a smile to my face seeing John McMillan and vice captain Craig 'Himbo' Morrison suited for action after having spells out with injury. Their was a different atmosphere in the warm up compared to other 1XV games that I have watched and I could tell that this game meant more than just league points. The noise picked up as the boys started hitting the pads and the boys looked focussed, albeit a little nervous.

Forrester kicked off and it was well chased by captain Garry 'Horse' Smith who wrapped up his opposite number. The hard press on the next couple of phases forced Murrayfield to clear. The following line out was a good front ball to 1XV debutant Dillon 'Gee' Gordon (I left before his song), however Sean Broadfoot put too much muster on his box kick and the ball flew out on the full leading to the first real attacking chance in the game for Wandies with a line out just outside 22. They caught well and rumbled the ball up into the Forrester 22. However, after the maul was stopped the Wandies were going nowhere in open play and the dogged Forries defence forced a scrum from which we cleared.

Murrayfield's tactic was clear in the early exchanges and that was to put Forries under pressure with kicks into territory and all in all they were pretty good at it.
About five minutes into the game and Murrayfield put in a good touch finding kick which gave Forries a line out in their own 22. The line out was thrown straight... to Bradley who hadn't even managed to get up. The squint throw gave Wandies a scrum in a good position. That scrum led to penalty. Wandies opted to scrum again, but Forries stood up to them this time and their number 8 James Meyrick had to pick up. Strong defensive work from Fraser 'Newbs' Newbury led to a spill from Wandies. Newbs went into try and gather the fumble, but he was blocked by their 9 Chris Beattie. Inexplicably the blocking led to a penalty for Wandies who thought better of going for a further scrum and took the points on offer through the boot of Chris Beattie. 3-0 to Murrayfield after 8 minutes.
From the following kick off it was Newbs' turn to put in a big hit. The defensive pressure again was there and Wandies cleared into the arms of Sean Broadfoot, who put in the garyowen only to be crunched late with a swinging arm from Wandies loosehead Sam Clayton. No yellow for the hit despite the fact it was late and looked very much like a poor imitation of WWE's greatest hits. After a bit of debate as to the penalty mark Forries opted for the sticks and tied the game up with Newbs slotting what was described as a 'good nudge' by the fans on the sideline. Score 3-3 after about 10 minutes.

Murrayfield kicked off and put Forries under a lot of pressure. They got the ball back, but some good defence kept them at bay. PJ Crolla showed some great strength holding a Wandies player up taking the pressure off. A further wave of Wandies attack was broken up by Newbs with a great rip in the tackle. The intensity in the first twenty minutes was, well, intense and it was clear that Coach Bree's Tuesday night demolition session was paying off. Forries finally got some ball and won a penalty near Wandies ten metre line, but Newb' strike was rather off and the ball was short. A couple of minutes and Forries won a penalty slightly further forward with Newbs again trying at the posts. Better effort, but same outcome and still 3-3 each at around 20minutes.

The momentum in the first half was swinging backwards and forward all the time and Wandies got some back and won a penalty which they put into touch. They take the ball and march fifteen metres into the Forrester 22. When Forrester do stop it they are judged to have done so illegally. Wandies penalty to be taken by Beattie where the 15 met the 22 to the left of goal. He hits a duck hook, which sails right across the face of the goal and into their outside centre Ross McLaren's hands who trots under the posts for a try. This was either a great set play or a poor kick turned good by a good chase, but either it was a bizaare try and the first real time Forries had been caught napping. The conversion was good and the score was 10-3 Wandies after around 22 minutes. Callum 'Calzo' Aitken came on at this point for Callum 'Budha' McMillan.

Not much to report from the following kick off, but after a few minutes Wandies had a line out on the half. Aiden Beveridge pounced on the ball as it went wayward. The half break unfortunately fell apart with a knock on, though some clever play from Sean Broadfoot saw him lead their number 8's head back into the scrum, so we won the ball back due to accidental offside.

It took until around 34 minutes for Wandies to get a real break out wide. They looked certain to score in the corner, but Sean Broadfoot scrambled back well to make the save. Gee then made way for John McMillan at this point. Good shift from the debutant.
Forries win the line out and ultimately send the ball into Wandies half. They clear but go too long and the ball is out on the full outside the 22. Stuart Fulton gathered the ball after it was it out and sprinted back to the mark, realising the line out wasn't marked he passed to Sean Broadfoot. Wandies were at sixes and sevens due to this sharp thinking and have to defend illegally. Penalty Forries who kick to the corner. First line out is well won and Wandies have to cheat again on the following maul. The next line out builds pressure and again Wandies lie over the ball to stop the score. Third time has to be a score or a card I thought. It was the latter that followed. Some big pressure and good carries were turned away, but then it was Broadfoot to Newbs to Aiden who barges over the whitewash for the try. The angle was too tricky for the conversion and we go into the half 10-8 down. Good, intense first half from both sides.

Wandies kick off to start the half and after getting the ball back make a break that looked a certain try, but Johhny Graham and Sean Broadfoot combine to stop them. With the rest of the boys back in the defensive line Wandies were not going to get through. Some aggressive defence and Wee Johnny creates a turnover, which lets us clear and relieve the pressure.
Two minutes into the half and after a good tackle and hitting a ruck Gavin Sisson is replaced by Himbo, which leads to a reshuffle with Newbs now out to 12. Good to see Himbo back out there, though his first play of the game wasn't too good to see, as he knocked on. However, it followed a Wandies knock on so we had the advantage. We take territory and Aiden steals. We rumble well, but Wee Al Panther is tattooed on their 22 and spills the ball. Wee All recovers and charges down their attempted clearance, but unfortunately Sean Broadfoot is adjudged to have knocked on.
Colin Gordon (Ceebo) is introduced at around 50 minutes for David 'Fish' Allan with Budha coming back on.

A Wandies clearance was gathered by Sean Broadfoot who starts of a good attack down the left hand side of the field. Unfortunately Horse's pass is just forward and Wandies have a scrum, which they win and clear. Wee Johnny covering full back now is adjudged to have knocked the ball on as he gathers. Wandies scrum in Forries' 22, which marches forward. They break from the back and a bit of miscommunication sees their blindside Kaue Junior Kaue, who is anything but a fan favourite, dot down under the sticks. They convert and the score is 17-8 after about 55 minutes.

Following the restart Forries make their first voyage into Wandies 22. Lots and lots of pressure. John McMillan, Ceebo, Paddy, Calzo and Sean Broadfoot all come close, but Forries just cannot seem to get it over. The play breaks down when Wee Al tries to bring a bit of magic unfortunately whilst his pass to Aiden on the touchline was fantastic Aiden had been subbed ten minutes earlier. Following this there was some sort of disagreement and Newbs and Wandies' hooker Ieuan Webb both get a ten minute breather.
Following the spat its Wandies scrum on their five metre line. Good pressure from Forries leads to a poor clear and another chance to go again. A break down in the middle of Wandies 22 leads to another scrap. Not wanting to be outdone by the fatboys Wandies' teeny winger Garry McRae throws a right which connects with a head, not sure whose head it was on Forries. Ref reaches for his pocket and gives... a yellow?!? That couldn't of been right, as Podge said on the sideline that it was a red and he has been around (and is round for that matter). Anyway with Newbs off Wee Al slots the points and the score is now 17-11.

With about 10 left Forries put lots of pressure on, but Gee who was back on knocks on in their 22. From the scrum Wandies kick, which takes a horrendous bounce as Johnny Graham tried to gather into Beattie's hands who scores and converts giving Wandies a 24-11 lead and Forries a hell of a task to get back into the game with around 70 -73 minutes played. The difficulties were compounded by Sean Broadfoot having to go off with (to be all North American) an upper body injury.

The physicality of the game saw a lot of Greenies struggling with John McMillan having to hobble of a few minutes from time after making a cracking carry and monster hit in a ruck. I can report that he did not come willingly, as is the character of the man.
With time fading Wandies got back into Forries half and won a penalty. Despite cries from their support to take the sticks they sensibly went for the corner and try bonus. Forries dug deep to stop that fourth try and the game ended with Wee Al clearing to touch.

You cannot always control the bounces, but you can control effort and Forries gave it their all in the match. Every player should take heart in the effort they put in despite going long periods without a lot of ball. Forries Man of the Match was definitely open for debate, but for a solid defensive performance against a lot bigger opposition Wee Al gets the nod.