Published: Monday, 8th February, 2010 2:00pm

A scrambled victory

PRESSURE ON: Wanderers drive forwards towards the Lenzie line in the second half.

LENZIE 10 WANDERERS 16

TO Wanderers went the victory in this Scottish Hydro Electric National Shield first round tie, but to Lenzie went most of the credit.

The hosts, who play a division below Greenock in the national leagues and are in real danger of being relegated, gave their visitors a definite fright.

Up until eight minutes to go they were in the lead and it was hard not to sympathise with their disappointment as they saw that advantage snatched away in the dying moments.

For Wanderers, missing tight head prop Jim McArthur, second row Matt Gray and flanker Chris Clark from the pack, it was a result which ultimately relied more upon fitness than any significant superiority.

The Greenock men grew in strength in a second half in which they dominated territory but seldom managed any continuity of play.

The fact that the game eventually went to uncontested scrums after Lenzie lost a prop due to injury, had an undoubted bearing on Greenock's second half recovery. That tells its own story, for in the first half in particular it was the home scrummage which was the stronger, leading to a growing confidence in the Lenzie ranks.

Theirs was the more committed display. At the breakdown they seemed more determined while Wanderers, even in their moments of acsendancy, seemed more desperate than controlled. Too many unforced errors littered their passages of play, the knock-on, misplaced pass or failure to take the supporting pass continually disrupting any flow to the play.

It wasn't helped by an erratic refereeing display, some of the decisions being genuinely baffling. But Wanderers' real problems had little to do with the official. They were more of their own making.

Lenzie missed an early, and eminently kickable, penalty and proceeded to expose worrying gaps in the visiting defence, one break up the right hand side of the park being especially noticeable.

Yet it was Wanderers who opened the scoring. Ali Abernethy won good lineout ball on the left and stand-off Ant Devlin produced an excellent change of angle to wrong-foot the home defence and touch down near the right post. He added the goal points to put Greenock seven ahead.

An inside break by home stand-off Jones took play deep into Wanderers' half. Lenzie were proving to themselves that they need not give Wanderers too much respect and they gained their reward with a converted Scouller penalty in front of the posts after a ruck offence.

In 30 minutes they did better still, flanker Scouller, one of the home side's better players, going over in the left corner after a short penalty. He then converted the difficult kick to put the hosts into a 10-7 lead which they deserved.

A bizarre refereeing decision awarded Lenzie a penalty just before half-time, Robb being adjudged to have blocked after Wanderers won lineout possession. He was nowhere near an opponent, but justice was done when Scouller dragged the kick wide.

Anderson replaced Murray in the centre for Wanderers after the interval, McMichael soon replacing Lavelle at hooker and Duncan coming on in the second row.

These changes, and the necessity of going to uncontested scrums when a Lenzie prop broke a finger, galvanised the visitors. Centre Kieran Smith typified this with a fine take and driving run.

There were still too many unforced errors, however, though Wanderers were certainly winning more ball and had more territorial advantage. A neat Devlin chip almost put Anderson in for a try, but he couldn't quite collect the bouncing ball with a clear run at the line.

The same player took a Devlin pass, broke a tackle and almost squeezed over at the left post as Greenock pressed on.

With time running out, Kieran Smith made a surging run on the left only to be stopped by a high tackle. Play switched to the right but was brought back for the penalty, Devlin converting from around 15 metre to the left of the posts to tie the scores.

Four minutes later Devlin again converted from an almost identical position after the home side were caught offside.

Wanderers were ahead, but none of their support on the touchline felt confident enought to assume the game was over.

Connolly had to produce a dogged tackle on Jack in added-on time on Wanderers' left flank and the victory was made certain in the fourth minute of added-on time when Devlin again kicked the points after Lenzie were penalised for not rolling away at a ruck.

So the stand-off collected all his side's points as, concidentally, so too did Lenzie's Scouller.

Not one for the connoisseur, but a victory all the same.

Wanderers: Watson (capt); Connolly, Murray, K Smith, Fletcher; Devlin, McDougall; D Smith, R Lavelle, M Lavelle; Stewart, Paterson; Abernethy, Robb, Love. Subs all used - Anderson, McMichael, Duncan.

Referee: J Wilson.

● Wanderers are sponsored by National Semiconductor.