Langholm 28
Murrayfield Wanderers 27
NATIONAL DIVISION ONE
JOHN SMITH reports from Milntown
A SUPERB drop goal by Langholm skipper Niall Cubbon grabbed a great win in the dying seconds at Milntown.
Murrayfield dominated the first quarter and made the perfect start when, with only three minutes gone, they kicked a penalty chance to the corner and drove over from the resultant line-out, with lock John Lyons credited with the touchdown.
Wanderers continued to dominate possession and with 14 minutes played, hacked on upfield for Murray Johnstone to win the race to score.
Langholm at last got into the Wanderers 22 and good initial work by the forwards saw scrumhalf Craig Hislop feed flyhalf Keith Davidson on the narrow side for a good try in the corner.
Visiting flanker Craig De Leeuw, who was making his debut for the senior side, was stretchered off with a leg injury which held up play for some time.
After an earlier miss, Cubbon was on target with a penalty for Langholm with 36 minutes played, but Johnstone soon made a suitable reply for the visitors.
An interpassing attack by Langholm between Hislop and Jamie Elliot ended with the former going over for a try which Cubbon converted from far out to give the Muckle Toon men a 15-13 lead at the interval.
The Wanderers pack started the second half strongly and Langholm had to defend for a 10-minute period. Eventually, the visitors fed the ball wide and Alex Cox went over to score, with Johnstone adding the conversion.
Langholm hit back with a fine break up the middle by Davidson, who flicked a deft inside pass to supporting lock Steven Nicol, who romped in for a superb try. Cubbon converted.
Wanderers applied tremendous pressure and were awarded three penalty chances, but each time opted for the tap and go, obviously looking for the bonus point, but somehow Langholm held out with great defending and Cubbon increased the Langholm lead with a penalty goal on the half-hour mark.
Going into injury time, Wanderers grabbed a try through full back Richards, which was converted, and it looked all over.
But Langholm secured possession from the kick-off and from a number of drives and recycle took play deep into the visitors’ half for Cubbon to slot the drop goal winner.
Langholm: C. Jardine; L. Miller, A. Cavers, N. Cubbon, J. Little; K. Davidson, C. Hislop; J. Ratcliffe, C. Little, D. Divers, A. Tyler, S. Nicol, S. Howatson, J. Reid, S. Graham. Subs: J. Ashton-Smith, J. Elliot, G. Brannan.