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NewsPortobello were looking for their fourth win in as many games and welcomed what turned out to be a very stubborn, hard and bullish Lasswade team to Cavalry Park. Lasswade are one of the favourites to be promoted and today they showed why.
Portobello started the game well, looking to use the Cavalry Park wind to their advantage, shooting down to the Manor house. Captain Ed Henderson winning the toss and hoping that Portobello would get far enough ahead in the first half and keep Lasswade at bay in the second.
Portobello were able to welcome back John Cook, Dick Ward and Trevor Gribble to the side which won last week and this was Gethin Evans last game before returning to his studies down south.
An early infringement by Lasswade allowed Dave Hardy to slot over an early three pointer and settle the nerves. The large home support was very vocal and was right behind the team.
Portobello 3, Lasswade 0.
Portobello were playing well and were looking for that elusive try, in an attempt to open the floodgates, a good breakout was followed by some tight hard yards. Lasswade were at sixes and sevens. The ball was spun out to Dave Hardy and with a very large five to three overlap, he was screaming for someone to straighten the line and score. Step forward new boy Sean Hollywood, he did exactly that and went in strongly under the posts, despite the flailing tacklers. Five tries in three games for our new number 8 and all was going to plan.
Portobello 10, Lasswade 0.
A stupid penalty by Portobello allowed Lasswade a kick at goal when they deserved nothing. A good kick and they were off the mark.
Portobello 10, Lasswade 3.
Dave Hardy then produced a penalty kick of his own to send Portobello back into a 10 point lead.
Portobello 13, Lasswade 3.
Lasswade followed this try up with one of their own. A good break in the centre and their back row was running amok. The number 8 was pulled down by last man defence Raymond Vaughan and despite Portobello cover was able to hold on the ball for what seemed like an eternity while support arrived. A quick pop and under the posts Lasswade went for a seven pointer.
Half time, Portobello 13, Lasswade 10.
Portobello continued to try to get out of their own half with the wind now horribly strong. Always willing to run and play rugby, Portobello looked like they would keep Lasswade in their own 22 and possibly sneak a score. Too many times the last pass didn't go to hand and Lasswade were able to pump the ball down field and relieve the pressure.
Lasswade in one of their many forays into Portobello half secured a good line out, from the ensuing second phase, a good run by their centre straight into the heart of defence. A mix up in the middle between Neil Bertram and Ed Henderson allowed the centre to bash through and score under the posts.
Portobello 13, Lasswade 17.
Lasswade added a penalty a few minutes later for handling in the ruck.
Portobello 13, Lasswade 20.
Within the space of a few minutes, Portobello lost two players to bad injuries, Mike Reed has broken his jaw in 2 places after an accidental collision and Gethin Evans was carried off with ankle ligament damage. We wish them all the best.
Gavin Wilson was dispatched into scrum half, Steve Porteous into the centre and Neil Bertram from flanker to winger. Kenny McGregor returned from the bench to help out in second row with Scott Lovatt (having just replaced Moray Lyall). The Portobello side was very disjointed and with a number of players out of position. Centre John Cook was also struggling but with no subs, bravely carried on.
With five minutes to go, a turnover allowed Lasswade to make good inroads into the Portobello half and slack blind side cover and weak tackling allowed a final third score in the left hand corner. No conversion.
Portobello 13, Lasswade 25.
At the death, Lasswade made a right mess of a clearance kick. Straight into the arms of centre John Cook, he had an easy run in to the corner, unfortunately the reason he was out on the wing was because of his injury from the last ruck. He couldn't do anything and the chance was lost. This about summed up the day for Portobello.
Full time, Portobello 13, Lasswade 25.
This week's man of the match is chosen by Eddie Henderson. He has selcted Sean Hollywood for a fine performance and another try.
It wasn't a bad day at the office for Portobello, they played "OK" against what they thought would be a well drilled Lasswade team. They weren't on fire either but did enough to take the points. The three point lead at half time was always going to be difficult to defend and they deserved something from the game. Four points turned into two, turned into one, turned into none.
With an alarming number of injuries and a long bus trip ahead next week for the cup game against RAF Kinloss, now is the time for us to stand up and be counted.
Portobello are a bit of an unknown quantity in this division having pulled out of the leagues (from Division 4) last year. Well beaten by Broughton in the first league game they came to this meeting looking for a fourth win in a row having beaten Division 5 entrants Royal Infirmary and Freshers' Week Dick Vets in the league and hammered newly re-formed Jordanhill in the Cup.
Lasswade continue to be troubled by injuries and unavailability with Neil Durie absent from the wing and needing to start Blackley as their third hooker of the season.
Portobello relied heavily for their main attacking strength on their big stand off Hardy, a burly Evans at centre and an agile and skilful Hollywood at No 8. This trio proved inadequate for the more rounded and teamlike visitors. Lasswade had cause to feel fairly satisfied that they were only three points behind at half time as they turned to have the elements at their back. Carefully weighted kicking by stand-off Brown ensured that most of the second half was played in the home side's territory and they soon capitalised on this to take the lead. It was fairly late on the game, though before their supporters could begin to breathe easily.
Portobello captain, Ed Henderson, won the toss and opted to take the advantage of the gusting wind blowing parallel to the touchlines. His plan was to get far enough ahead in the first half and keep Lasswade at bay in the second. Portobello started off in very lively fashion, hardly needing assistance as they tossed the ball between them and applied intense pressure to the Lasswade line. The visitors kept this intact but conceded two penalties in the first quarter hour to go 6-0 down to Hardy's boot.
Lasswade quickly pulled one of these back but they remained rare visitors to the opposition half throughout the first half-hour.
Portobello were playing well and were looking for that elusive try to open the floodgates. A good breakout was followed by some tight hard yards putting Lasswade at sixes and sevens. The ball was spun out to Hardy and with a five to three overlap, he called for someone to straighten the line. Hollywood did exactly that and went in strongly under the posts for Hardy to convert.
Provoked by the lost try, Lasswade capitalised on the restart kick and broke through the centre to be stopped 30 yards out. Osinski arrived at the stoppage at full tilt, took the ball and the defence by surprise and was only hauled down near the line by fullback Vaughan. Osinski presented the ball perfectly for the closely supporting Morrison to add to his try count for the season. Elliot converted - Portobello 13, Lasswade 10.
The home side fared even less well than their opponents against the wind. The third quarter of the game was played almost entirely in their half and any time they did cross they were sent back by a Brown bomb of a kick. In one of their many forays, Lasswade secured good ball and, from a further breakdown, flanker Quigley got his hands on it to break for the line. A mix up between two defenders allowed him to bash through them under the posts.
Lasswade were then held out by some desperate defending. Indeed during the middle ten minutes of the fourth quarter the Edinburgh side were able to claw their way as far as the visitor's 22 on a few occasions. Good coverage and solid tackling always stopped them and then another kick by Brown would send them all the way back.
With five minutes of normal time Lasswade forced a kickable penalty in the Portobello 22 and widened the margin to converted try level. Four minutes into injury time, the Bonnyrigg side put the final result beyond reasonable doubt and deprived Porty of a bonus point. From turnover ball on the 22, Quigley made the opening break towards the left corner. Robinson took over and with a few gold-clad hangers-on put it down in the corner. The conversion was deflected by the wind.
Man of the match for Portobello was their captain, Ed Henderson. Outstanding Lasswade player this week - for his unrelenting foraging in the rucks and mauls and determined tackling in the open - was prop Mark Billingham (wrongly reported last week as "Cunningham"). Craig Quigley also deserves a mention in dispatches.
Peter Griffin, Vic Rickis and Ed Henderson
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