Alloa RFC won the 2015 BT Bowl trophy with an impressive 71-19 win over Cumnock at the national stadium, BT Murrayfield last weekend.

It was clear from the outset that the BT Caledonia Regional League Division 2 Midlands team were going to impress, with their well executed passing game, which in-turn opened up space to exploit all over the park.

There was a selection of players that could have been handed the player of the match trophy, with the likes of outside centre Ken Aitken and full back Alan Keir scoring braces, but it was flanker Matthew Pope who picked up the accolade for his hat-trick.

Though Alloa dominated the first half, the teams were more evenly matched in the second period, with the Ayrshire outfit scoring three tries of their own.

Alloa head coach, Henry Edwards, said: “We had a game plan and we stuck to it. Every man stood up and got us there in the end. We wanted to make it hard for Cumnock to defend our attack play and ensure we were continually securing possession. I’m pleased with the end result. We have achieved all the goals we set out at the beginning of the season, a higher league position and the BT Bowl. Next year we will like to move up a level and improve on this year’s performances. The final has been great for us as it has helped generate a lot of interest and excitement around the club.” Following a period of sustained pressure, battering at the Cumnock line, Alloa outside centre, Aitken was the first to score a try in the BT Bowl final, after seven minutes, crossing the whitewash with a powerful crash ball to make it 5-0.

Their next try came six minutes later when tight head prop Matthew Duncan delivered an excellent pass to full-back Keir who ran in the score from 60 metres. Winger Lee Cairney converted for a 12-0 lead.

By the halfway point in the first period, 22 minutes, Alloa were well into their stride scoring a third try. Cairney made a break out wide and then came back inside and offloaded to flanker, Pope, who had a clear run in under the posts. Cairney converted the try, 19-0.

Less than four minutes later centre Rob Truesdale scored a fourth try for Alloa. First the forwards made the yards up front and created a platform for the back to weave through his opposition defence and touchdown. Cairney converted, 26-0.

Effortless offload As the clock approached the half hour mark, stand-off Steven Skelton took his first try of the game, which was preceded by an effortless offloading game by his colleagues to extend the lead to 31-0.

Cairney scored Alloa’s sixth try, after 34 minutes, as the space opened up in front of him with Cumnock’s man deficit, from losing stand-off Jack Reilly to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on. He converted his own score to make it 38-0.

There was three minutes left in the half when full back Keir scored his second try, which was quickly followed by Aitken’s brace, two minutes later. Cairney converted both, and the latter marked the end of the half at 52-0.

Cumnock were threading more phases together from the outset of the second half and they were rewarded for their patience when full back Martin Thomson touched down after four minutes. Reilly converted, 52-7.

Alloa celebrate their BT Bowl victorySome 11 minutes into the second period Pope got his second try for Alloa and then he completed his hat-trick moments later. Cairney continued to add the extras on the first, but missed the second. 64-7 Alloa scored their eleventh try of the match through scrum-half Martin McKenzie, as the opening game of BT Cup Finals Day entered the last ten minutes. Cairney slotted the conversion once again to take the score to, 71-7, in favour of Alloa.

Cumnock scored their second try a few minutes later, when scrum-half Scott McCall crossed the line, and then with two minutes to go, Reilly executed a perfect chip and chase to score their third. He added the extras to his own try and cut the deficit to, 71-19 and that’s how the match ended as the Clackmannanshire side lifted the BT Bowl.

Alloa RFC president Gary McPhail added: “I would like to thank the 500+ supporters who travelled to Murrayfield to witness the clubs day in the sun and the team did not let them down, producing an excellent display of attacking rugby.

“It was a perfect day from start to finish and we are extremely proud of the achievements of the players and coaches who have worked hard all season and they have been justly rewarded with the Regional and National Bowl trophies.” For a full selection of matchday photos, please check out the Alloa Advertiser’s facebook page.

Pics by Jan Van Der Merwe