Payback time for Pirates

East Kilbride Pirates 78 – Doncaster Mustangs 3

According to the saying, revenge is a dish best served cold. While the dismal summer weather may not be that chilly, it was still inclement enough to allow the Pirates to dine heartily at the all-you-can-eat Payback Buffet. Following the Mustangs win over East Kilbride last month there were some people suggesting that the time had arrived for new Divisional Champions. Sunday’s comprehensive victory sent a statement to any pretenders to their throne that the Pirates are far from ready to give up that crown.

With the usual home venue unavailable, this game took place on the Astroturf at Glasgow University’s Garscube complex. Doncaster were first on the ball, but with the rain leading to slippery conditions, they immediately coughed up the football and it was recovered by Drew Boyle. East Kilbride moved the ball all the way to the 2-yard line but had to settle for a Steven Kane field goal to open the scoring. The Mustangs again fumbled on their next possession and paid for that mistake when Iain Dick ran the ball home from 58 yards. Doncaster’s next drive brought their only points when they slotted home a 32-yard field goal. The first period came to an end as Dick added his second score, this time on a 7-yard carry. Kane’s second conversion left the score as 17-3 at the turn around.

A third Mustangs fumble soon gave the ball back to their hosts and led to Craig Towler running the ball in from 18 yards. Pirates one backward step of the day came when Towler was intercepted by Nathan Webster, but Doncaster were unable to make anything of it and punted the ball away. Hunter made amends for his mistake when he scored on a 2-yard run, following a 10-play drive. Ivor Clark intercepted a Doncaster pass to ensure that the score remained 31-3 going into half time.

East Kilbride had the ball at the start of the third quarter and took just two plays to score again, with QB Hunter stretching his legs to run the required 57 yards. Hunter figured in the next score, passing to Jamie McLaughlin for a 38-yard TD. The points continued to mount up, and interceptions returned to the endzone on the next two Mustangs’ drives (Dougie Meechan 33 yards and Ivor Clark 66 yards) made it 58-3 with the fourth period still to come. By this time, a thoroughly disheartened Mustangs squad could do little more than watch as East Kilbride added three more scores. Dick ran home from 47 yards, Hunter completed a 34-yarder to Jimmy McIntosh and Craig Towler rounded it all off with an 82-yard sprint.

The Pirates move to a 4 – 1 record and into second spot in the Division. Their sights are firmly set on current leaders, the Yorkshire Rams, but before that there is the return fixture against Merseyside Nighthawks. That game on July 10th will see the team finally return to Hamilton Rugby Club for the remainder of the campaign.

Game report by Bill Campbell

Pic by Amanda McDonald