28/08/99 Dalziel 3rd XV 52 Linwood XV 27

The Linwood coaching staff were "satisfied" with the result, considering the patchwork Linwood side. This was also a match which marked the return to splendour of one of the clubs founding fathers.. Little Martin McDade!!

Linwood tries were scored by... Keith Forbes, Jamie Birch, G , Shug Mcgillvery and the remarkable Boycie. Man of the match -Jamie Birch .

Jamie Birch, A Towering Player of the day!

18/09/99 Linwood 2nd XV 7 vs Dumfries 2nd XV 35

Linwood 2nds season got off to a typical start - 12 players turned up and no- one brought the jerseys! The game was conceded as a league fixture and a Dumfries player guested for Linwood to make the sides 13 v 14.

As usual, Linwood's pack totally dominated in the set pieces despite being a man down, but the combined tight five age of 180+ gave the Dumfries pack an edge in loose play which they used to great advantage to feed their young back line, running in four converted tries in the first thirty minutes.

After thirty minutes, Jamie "Giraffe" Birch turned up and his introduction at inside centre stiffened the defensive line, added a new dimension to Linwood's attack and gave the forwards another option in the loose by releasing Stevie McHugh from hooker to the back row. After this turning point, Linwood were constantly in the Dumfries half and should have scored more than the one try. In fact Dumfries scored first in the second half with an 80m breakaway from inside their own 22.

With three minutes remaining, Linwood's 2nd team captain, Alistair ??????, currently sidelined with a hairline fracture, decided to have run out to test the injured leg. Giraffe boy got the ball at the 10m line and broke to the Dumfries 10m line before releasing the ball inside to Stevie McHugh supporting. What followed can only be described as one of the sweetest back movements ever seen at Linwood 2nds as every back took possession and swept across the pitch until the farside touchline was reached with about 10m to go to the Dumfries line. Superb support ensured that when the ball was passed back inside there were more than enough bodies to allow a couple of passes before the ball reached Alistair, who touched down between the posts.

All-in-all, despite the scoreline, Linwood come away happy in the belief that with a full team and all players available, they are more than capable of meeting the challenge thrown down by the reorganisation of the leagues pitting them against teams whose 1st teams are 3 or 4 divisions higher than Linwood's.

Inter-City 2nd XV League Division 8 (West) (South)

09 October 1999 Marr 12 Linwood 12

An exciting “Tussle at Troon” saw Linwood and Marr share the spoils, probably the fair result on the day.

Both sides were evenly matched with Linwood’s pack edging Marr’s whilst the opposite was true of the backs. Tremendous tackling by the back division ensured that Linwood’s line was only crossed twice despite the huge possession advantage the opposition created.

After going behind by 7 points, a superb break by Paul Shaw to touch down between the posts gave a half-time score of 7 all. One slight of lack of concentration by Linwood in the second half gave Marr a three-man overlap but the conversion was missed. The advantage to the home side didn’t last long as some superb sustained forward pressure from the kick-off resulted in Iain Wright touching down in the corner to even the scores mid-way through the half.

Both sides had opportunities to finish the game but tough tackling from both sides saw the full time whistle blown with honours even.

But we'll gub them at Linwood!

Team:

15.Kevin Rees 14.Gary Haines 13.Iain Wright 12.Paul Shaw 11.Robert Bradley (Bobo) 10.Alistair Meek (Capt) 9.Dunky McKnight 1.Andy McDade (Bursto Senior) 2.Gavin (Red-hand) Reynolds 3.Tam Andrews (Bursto Junior) 4.Andy Walker 5.Jamie Birch 6.Roddy Morrison 7.Gavin McHugh 8.Mark Boyce

G + D Division 2

20 November 1999

LINWOOD 19 GHK 9

They said it would never happen.

An astounding victory for Linwood in this Glasgow district League match has to inspire them on to more victories over the 2 giants of Anniesland rugby.Before this game No bookie in the country would take a bet against Linwood (and not cos they've never heard of them!). With GHK strong favourites to take the title this year along with their neighbours Glasgow Accies.

At the end of first half GHK were up 6-0 but couldn't breach the superb Linwood defence. GHK having 70% of the ball and only 2 penaltys to show for it. Linwood looked on a shoogly peg at the end of the first half, but obviously someone had some 'special' advice for the boys as they came out with all guns blazing to scorch the second half. (Penfold, at hooker, leaving the field with a shagged shoulder after 50mins. After a general rejig Roger Miller came on and slotted into centre) 15 mins Later big Keith Forbes danced a jig over the GHK try line straight from a Linwood penalty 5yds out, He took 3 GHK tacklers with him over the line for company (as he gets lonely). The try was converted by Roger

GHK got another Penalty making the score 9-7. Wiith the Linwood heads now up and getting on wi the job. The Pack drove over the line for a try, scored by a young prop who goes by the name of Shug Rees (he'll go a long way one day).Linwood dominated play until the last minute of the game when the ball was passed down GHK's back line when suddenly G popped up from nowhere to intercept the ball mid flight ,pin his ears back and score under the posts.

A great day for Linwood rugby enthusiasts. Man of the match goes to Tam Andrews for his immense tackling ability (well utilised) and constantly turning the ball around. His enthusiasm on the park was great too, All the Linwood players had a great game though.

The Linwood try scorers G, Shug and Keith.

Big Tam, Man of the match.

Team :- 1. Shug Rees. 2. Colin Guinea (Roger Miller 50mins). 3. Stuart Ross. 4. Keith Forbes. 5. Tom Andrews. 6.Roddy Morrison. 7. Shaun. 8. Gibby. 9. Dunky McKnight. 10.Paul Shaw. 11.Alan Williamson. 12. Doc. 13.Jamie Birch 14. G. 15 Kevin Rees.

On the same day Linwood 2nd XV were beaten 19-11 by Dalziel 3rds, but this game did see Gary Haynes score his first try for the club (better late than never!) and a blast from the past as Big Don made an appearance in the team!

G + D Division 2

27 November 1999

LINWOOD 40 CLYDESDALE 3

Another solid result for Linwood en route to the top of G+D div2...

5 minutes into the first half Linwood went on a rumble from clydesdale's 10 yard line. Ruck after ruck with the pack picking and pushing right too the try line where the ball was dropped. That indicated the shape of things to come. Because of the drop on the line clydesdale had a 5 metre scrum with their feed. They lost the put in as the Linwood scrum pushed them off the ball.Linwood went for a push over but the Clydesdale scrum half managed to nip in before Gibby could get his hands on it.

This carried on for about the next 20minutes. Clydesdale were on in Linwood's half once and that was from the kickoff!! However the rain had been pissing down and the ball was slippy resulting in a couple of handling errors that could have been tries.

Linwood struck gold in the 25min from a lineout in Clydesdale's 22 that was robbed by Roddy resulting in a forwards rumble where Dunky came up last touching down with the ball.

A substitution in the 35 min brought Keith off the field retiring from a burst plook being replaced by big Gav. A quick switch around in the tight 5 as Linwood started again. Another great drive by the pack resulted in the ball being shipped wide only to be knocked on as Scott Young came through on the burst. Unlucky. 38 min of the game resulted in the stand off deciding to clear his lines in his 22 by hoofing the ball across the park. Huh? . Any way ,guess who was there to catch it?.......YES!! Big Tam!! Tam V the trembling Clydesdale winger and it has to be.....

with a slight nudge Tam scores in the corner. Eat your heart out Lomu!

HALF TIME AND CLYDESDALE WERE UP AGAINST IT.

Second half started just as the first with Linwood dominating most of the set piece and the ball retention with 2nd and 3rd phase ball. The 50th min brought some silky rugby with Scott taking on 4 defenders from a flat pass from creator of the day,Roger and storming through for a try.

Stupid handling in the ruck by Linwood resulted in a Clydesdale penalty which they managed to convert bringing them back into the game... The game started to slow down after that and Chappy(Team Coach/Mascot) decided to make a tactical decision 'pulling' Gibby off and replacing him with Super Hero Doc! - 60th min

The pressure again on and Linwood forced a penalty inside the Clydsdale 22 resulting in a set penalty move where the ball was popped outside to Scott Young where he scored. - 64th minute

Linwood continued the onslaught and again won a put in against the head just outside Clydesdale's 22. Another great move from a flat pass from Roger resulting in a crash move from Scott to score(again). Not bad huh? - 72min.The game was not over yet...

The Latter stages of the game saw Big Shug McGill Power over the Clydesdale line to score the sixth and final try of the game.

All in all the tight 5 played an outstanding game. The power up front was something else. This result puts Linwood second top with Glasgow Accies still going strong at the top of the league

Roll on Uddingston next week!

Man of the Match - Its got to be Scott Young! You can't score 3 tries and NOT be MOM! A close 2nd was Shaun in the back row. He had an industrious, outstanding game.

Team for the day....

1. Shuggy, 2. Stuarty, 3. Tam ,4. Shuggy macGill, 5. Keith (chappy), 6. Roddy, 7. Shaun, 8. Gibby, 9. Duncy, 10. Roger, 11. Alan, 12. Scott, 13. Jamie,14. G man, 15. Kevin, 16. Gav, 17. Doc

Linwood men of the day, Ever industrious Sean, Hattrick hero and MOM Scott and other try scorer's Tam, Dunky and Shug McGill.

What happened from the 4th of December to the 26th of Feb 2000?

Pissing down at Linwood so no games There....The only game being an unreported 24-12 defeat by Accies in the league.

Inter-City 2nd XV League Division 8 (West) (South)

26-02-00

Bishopton 0 Linwood 98!!

Tries scored by Scott (4) Cammy (2) G (2) Kenny A(2) Wacci (1) Fraser (1) Donald (1) Colin (1)

Man of match shared by Big Donald and Scott Young, both players leading by example on the park.

Heres some pictures from the match.

Big Donald smashes through the Bishopton defence yet again and G kicks his third from 14 of 14 kicks!

Bishopton make a valiant effort to stop Scott Young in mid flight (they failed) and big Fraser finishing off a storming 2 yard sprint to touch down for Linwood.

Linwood men of the match Donald and Scott with try scorers Fraser, Colin and Jamie.

Waysiders/Drumpellier 3rds 0 Linwood 45

A very poor playing surface that gradually deteriorated led to a number of ball handling errors and missed opportunities that could have seen Linwood push the points tally that little bit further.

However, when it did come together and forwards linked with backs it was like poetry in motion. Each try - of which there were 7, was a result of superb running play, 2nd and 3rd phase quick ball and the odd flash of magic.

Try were scored very quickly in the first ten minutes, resulting in a mamoth task for Waysiders - and one which they never recovered from. The damage was done, but give credit where credit is due, Waysiders even when down to 13 men battled on and strung some excellent passages of ball retention and handling skill of their own which almost resulted in a try being scored in the closing minutes of the first half only to be stopped by an excellent crunching tackle by homecoming queen Ian Young.

Tries were scored by Tam Andrews, Graham Cameron, Gavin Reynolds, Ian Young, Don Ross, Graham walker , and Alan Gibson.

G-Man came in with another 5 good conversions.

Man Of The Match had to go to another Mallet head by the name of Cammy. Cammy once again put out a massive work rate, pushing himself around the park to the break down and showing great awarness and support play during lose play.Not bad for someone who started playing Rugby last year!