Lismore Ladies hung onto top spot in the National League with a hard fought 24-22 win over Glasgow University at Wardie on Sunday.

Facing a major reshuffle in the back division due to injuries and holiday commitments (come back Molly, all is forgiven!), the Lismore team had a different look to it than that which run Premier side Kirkcaldy close last week in the Cup.

The home side seemed to be unsettled, despite welcoming back Joy & Katie who represented Scotland at Full & Development grade last week in Paris and it was the Students who took a well deserved 5th minute lead. 

Our man in the middle seemed to be the only person in the North of Edinburgh who could have possibly adjudged Frog (all 5ft - sorry 1.52 metres in Euros) to have produced a high tackle and as the Lismore players trudged back to the line, they failed to keep their eyes on the game and a quick tap penalty produced the easiest of tries.  0-5.

It didn't take long for Frog to redeem herself and within 3 minutes she turned sinner to saint with a try of her own in the top corner.  A tremendous break in the middle of the field by Captain Lyth from the back of a scrum saw the three times capped Scotland player offload to the screaming Simmonite and the hard working scrum half waited til the very last second before releasing Durand who run in for the score.

The try scoring celebrations from Frog were somewhat bizarre and it was difficult to tell if she was being a chicken or having a seizure such was the randomness!

With a quarter of the match gone, the University side camped themselves within the Lismore 22 with the sniff of whitewash driving them to the try line.  A scrum 5 for the west coast students caused all sorts of problems for the new back line and despite the hint of a forward pass, a try was awarded in the corner.  5-10.

Only in Crufts would the lead change hands as many times in one day, but true to form, the pendulum of opportunity swing for Lismore in the 26th minute when the Lismore pack bullied their way over the line.

The Lismore forwards had only one thing on their mind and through 8 phases of well managed ball retention, Fung leaped through the air like she had been fired by cannon over the ruck that had formed to score.  Neary converted the extras with a great kick from the 22. 12-10.

With the half coming to a close, Glasgow almost put their noses back in front when their No14 showed a fantastic turn of pace and silky soccer skills latching on to a Lismore error but she was denied by a determined piece of back tracking by Callaghan and Neary.

Lismore started the 2nd half going down the Wardie slope as they looked to build on their lead however it was the Students who were first to open the scoring.

Callaghan attempted to clear with a downfield kick 10 minutes after the break, however it only got as far as the Uni scrum half who distributed it to the No.10 who ran in for a try under the posts that was converted.  12-17.

Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Pup!  A ruck just outside the Uni 22 was won by the home side and the ball made it's way to Neary, who recently joined hooker Roche in the SWRU Academy.  The dynamic centre burst through the Uni defence to run in unopposed under the posts.  She dusted herself down and kicked the conversion to put Lismore 19-17 up with 20 minutes left on the clock.

For once in the match, a little light was placed between the teams on the scoreboard when Super Sub Mags Morgan came up trumps with a try under the posts following a tremendous run to the line by Neary.

Mags, who hit the headlines a few weeks ago when she scored a hat-trick against Dick Vet, left the Uni girls lying around like pins on a bowling alley as she used her strength to go over the line ("The only difference between me and the other girls is about 5 extra stone behind me" she laughed during her warm-up before coming on).  Pup missed one of her easiest kicks of the afternoon, however the score was a more comfortable 24-17.

Well, it may be starting to get sunnier and the spring is just around the corner, but it still gets dark relatively early at the moment and there were fears that calls for those on the sidelines to get in their cars and line them up at the side of the pitch were going to have to be made as the game raged on after the regulatory 80 minutes.

The match official however was probably enjoying this pulsating league encounter as much as those watching and it was a surprise when Lismore diffused play in their own dead ball area in what appeared to be the last play of the game that he offered the Uni side a 'scrum 5'.  From the 85th minute set-play, the No10 managed to wriggle over for a score.  Thankfully for the home side, the try was out wide and the conversion was unsuccessful which meant a 24-22 win for Lismore.

Lismore Player of the Match was Nadine Heard who played out of her skin with a variety of tenacious tackling and powerful bursts through the middle of the field.

The Glasgow Uni nomination for the home side was Pup.

Finally and exclusively for our Man in the Middle who we know reads these reports and enjoys them, I still can't believe you've grown a beard - I want photo evidence signed by witnesses!!