It was a bright sunny day for Murrayfield Wanderers first game of the season. Cartha were welcomed to the premier league with the first 15’s game on the brand spanking new 4G pitch. The wandies seemed a little bemused during the warm up without the guidance of coach Jules. Nonetheless the substitute coach showed exemplary leadership and organisation, not to mention the multiple burst eardrums on the sidelines. But worry not coach Jules…the young pretenders focus is more on the playing side than the coaching at present.    

The game started with a toot as the ref got whistle happy. Penalties galore as both teams showed a slow and nervous but excited start. The nerves quickly settle as Lana ‘bad ass’ Blyth led the way with dump tackle number 1. Cartha start to feel the wrath of the magic wandies!

Jenni Miller made a fantastic midfield break to gain good territory. The wandies fight to retain position and capitalise on a scrum that sees ‘Bad Blyth’ storm past the sleeping Cartha defence. Super support to follow with an offload to Lisa Martin (aka Shorty) the long lost wanderer returning from America proves she hasn’t lost her skill as she continues the rampage towards the try line.

Cartha attempt to turn the tables with a quick penalty making it ¾ the length of the pitch in a solo effort only to meet the ‘access denied brigade’ headed up by Emma Masters (aka Bates) at full back.

Quick turn over sees yet another wandieful break. Excellent back play from Rhona shepherd (aka Shep) who fixed her defender sending new arrival Louise Moffat (aka Moff) a clear 2 on 1. The crowd watched with bated breath as we wondered whether she would attempt to bosh her way to the try line. The former centre (who started at second row today) executed the 2 on 1 clinically giving our rookie winger Megan Gaffney her first try for Wandies on her debut start.

The Wanderers spirits are lifted as Carthas start to crack. The mighty ducks flying V (Moff, Lana and Ruthie) make another dent down the wide channel showing the offload game wandies are best known for. Unfortunately the mighty ducks failed to fly as Cartha continued to spoil the ball and the ref continued his whistle happy theme.

Half time score 5-0 to the wandies.

Some council juice, a welcome break and some key changes at half time saw an energised wanderers take the field with 40 minutes on the clock. Good ball retention and gritted teeth saw the wanderers rack up numerous phases with fast ball key to give Sarah Quick (aka Quickie) and Shep yet more yardage with superb running lines. Louise Moffat, who has returned to her roots in the centre showed some fantastic footwork as she ran through the defence like a bad curry. Stepped the Cartha winger, then the full back for her first try for wandies, also on her debut. Taking the score to 10-0.

Wandies continue to look in control as Ruth ‘randy’ Slaven, in her debut as captain made a clean break that sees her charge down the length of the pitch only to get caught agonisingly close to the tryline.

Another quick penalty catches the wandie defence unorganised seeing a break by Cartha’s inside centre who runs the length of the pitch for a solo score. The score now 10-5.

Wandies continue to pin Cartha in their 22. Good drive from a lineout started a succession of phases across the park as wandies battle to find a weakness in the dogged Cartha defence. Wandie confidence continues to grow as Beth ‘the dick’ Dickens dynamically trundled over the line in an attempt to create the ‘dickens flop’.  After a third unconverted try the score sat at 15-5.

Fast hands see the wandies get the ball wide on a number of occasions bringing Tracey ‘walnut’ McAdam into the game where a line break is short lived as Cartha turn over ball and make another attempt at the wandies line. They fail to capitalise on a 5 on 2, then a 4 on 1 they had created as they once again met the ‘access denied brigade’.

As the new captain struggled to recover from a bad dose of calf cramp she found a sudden surge of courage as she once again runs the length of the park – this time with an exhausted rabble of support. As the game runs into the last passage of play, with legs getting heavy and even the most experienced of players showing fatigue – Rhona Shepherd in pursuit of the bonus point try effected a kick pass into the hands of the opposition 12 who ran 50 metres to the half way line. Now in defensive mode having scrambled to turn over ball. Veteran Shepherd attempts to end the game by kicking the ball into touch, only to slice it high in behind causing a mass rammy for possession.

Eventually after the longest ‘last 15 seconds to go’ EVER – wandies successfully manage to get the ball off the park closing our first league match with a win.

Final score 15-5.