THE capacity crowd at last week’s vital promotion game between the two exile clubs were given value for their money.

However, sometimes excitement was substituted for skill. London Scottish playing running rugby scored three times but lost the game. London Irish tried to kick or run the ball up the middle straight into the Scottish defence and, ignoring their wingers, scored no tries but won the game.

The difference at the end of the game was the kicking of Irish winger. Michael Corcoran who scored seven of the eight penalties he attempted.

Such was the interest in the game that the start was delayed ten minutes at the request of the police to allow the spectators to get into the ground.

Corcoran opened the scoring after five minutes with the first of his penalties. Irish dominated the opening ten minutes of the game and it was against the run of play when Scottish backs ran the ball from the Irish ten-metre line to put full back Nick Robinson over for the opening try which was converted by Ian Stent.

Corcoran reduced the gap to one point and from the kick off Irish perhaps had their last try scoring chance, but full back Connor O’Shea was forced into touch 15 metres out from the Scottish goal-line after a 25 metre run. Scottish cleared from the resultant lineout.

Thirty-four minutes into the half Scottish scored their second try in controversial fashion. A Scottish kick deep into the Irish half rolled into the in- goal area. When Irish touched down the referee adjudged that they had taken the ball over and awarded a five-metre scrum to Scottish instead of expected drop out. From scrum Scottish backs passed out to the left where Robinson went over in the corner for his second try.

Corcoran scored his third penalty in the last minute of the half to reduce the deficit to three points at the interval.

Five minutes into the second half another Corcoran penalty tied the score at 12 each but Stent scored a penalty to restore the Scottish three-point lead.

Whereas the Irish had kicked the ball to the Scottish defence in the first half in the second they ran the ball straight at them. This did not give the Irish any opportunity to score tries but merely gained ground and forced Scottish into errors which gave Corcoran his kicking chances. These he duly took and put Irish into an 18-15 lead with ten minutes to go. Scottish continued their running attacks and were rewarded seven minutes from time when Gavin Thompson scored the try which gave them a 20-18 lead. This set up one of the most exciting finishes seen for some time.

Five minutes from the end Irish took a one-point lead with the last of Corcoran’s penalties. Scottish mounted attack-after-attack and Stent tried a drop kick which just dropped under the bar. A number of try scoring attempts were foiled by an Irish defence which played with a determination which had not been so noticeable in the rest of the game.

It was typical of the run of the game that the Scottish challenge was ended when they again conceded a penalty and Corcoran found touch to bring the final whistle.

With Scottish still to play league leaders Northampton, Irish are now favourites to gain promotion to Division One. However neither team can afford any slip-ups in the remaining six league games especially as each have to play the expensive Newcastle all- stars.

I cannot help but wonder if either club have got a team capable of remaining in the First Division on Saturday’s performances.