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| LINLITHGOW 64 - CAITHNESS 10 by Iain Grant |
| Fri 2nd Nov 2007 |
Optimism that the narrow home reverse against Forrester could signal a change in fortunes for the under-pressure Greens proved unfounded.
A rash of 11th hour call-offs before the trip to Linlithgow meant the feel-good factor engendered from the previous outing had ebbed away.
It briefly returned with the visitors capitalising on a strong start by taking the lead from a well-worked try from centre Graham Fryer.
But it proved a false dawn as Linlithgow’s formidable pack took charge and exerted a stranglehold on possession which left the Greens living on scraps for much of the contest.
The crushing defeat, combined with Stewartry’s victory consigns the Greens to second bottom spot, a point better off than Allan Glens.
The losing margin also gives Caithness the most unflattering points difference of the 12 teams in Scottish Hydro Electric National League Division 2.
With unbeaten Howe of Fife next up at Millbank tomorrow, followed by a trek to Newton Stewart and a home match versus promotion-chasing Dumfries, the Greens’ faithful are wondering just when the current barren run will end.
Coach Jim MacMillan, once again, was hard-pressed to get a squad together as a result of late withdrawals.
Eight of the 18 were not involved the previous week, with just seven starting in the same position.
The only department unchanged was at half-back where Gary Mackay and Kris Hamilton extended their fledgling partnership.
MacMillan said: “I was phoning round shortly before we set off at Friday teatime to get people to go.
“We had four late call-offs, on top of guys out injured or not available.
“It was a real makeshift squad we took down.”
With the coach forced into making his first start of the season, the Greens enjoyed a lively start after gaining possession from home stand-off Euan McDavid’s under-hit kick-off.
Within a couple of minutes, scrum-half Kris Hamilton made the vital break with good hands in the midfield ending with Fryer latched on to his own grubber to ground the ball over the line. Blair McIntosh was unable to add the extras.
The score demonstrated the potency of the Caithness back division but unfortunately they were to get precious few opportunities to impress.
Linlithgow’s forward power, aligned to McDavid’s astute tactical kicking, were soon to turn the game irrevocably the Reds’ way.
By half-time, the home support had saluted five tries without reply.
Within 20 minutes, centre Chris Bredin, number eight Simon Robson and lock Scott Waddell had all crossed.
The bonus try was the poorest from a defensive perspective with the six foot seven Waddell making the first surge before releasing Billy Edment.
Some woeful tackling ensured the hooker had a trouble-free route to the line.
The Greens continued to be on the rack and stout defence was needed in the face of unremitting pressure.
Linlithgow finished the half when the elusive Bredin went over at the posts.
Scrum-half Tony Mladenovski’s four conversions boosted the score to 33-5.
Within six minutes of the restart, Bredin completed a hat-trick of tries with a solo effort.
With the Caithness line-out misfiring and their pack well off the pace in the loose, Linlithgow tightened the screw.
Edment and Robson both went over again with full-back Dave MacKenzie also getting on the act. Mladenovski goaled three to boost the score to 59-5.
Caithness staged a minor fightback to enjoy a bit of a purple patch when they enjoyed sustained spells of possession.
They should have scored when number eight Evan Sutherland burst clear but inadvisedly took the ball into contact instead of releasing the unmarked Graeme Ross.
Shortly afterwards, the pressure was made to count when McIntosh was put clear to touch down.
The centre missed the straightforward conversion.
Linlithgow had the final say with an unconverted try from young replacement winger Mike Walker.
Coach MacMillan had no difficulty in pinpointing where it had gone so wrong for the Greens.
“Their forwards bossed us off the park,” he said.
“We just didn’t compete in the breakdown and the line-out was just shambolic.
“It’s difficult when you’ve got new people coming in who don’t know the codes.”
He added: “The backs looked useful the few times they got some decent ball but they just didn’t get the platform to work from.”
The coach took heart from the tigerish displays from young replacements Hamish Coghill and Gordie MacLeod.
Said MacMillan: “When Hamish came on, he was probably as good a forward as we had.
“He put in a really good shift and Gordie put in some cracking tackles.”
The coach was encouraged by a good turn-out at training on Tuesdaywhen the versatile William Mill was welcomed back after injury.
Prop Halde Pottinger is back in the county and skipper Ewen Boyd willreturn to lead the side tomorrow.
Forwards Colin Smith and Danny Gordon are also set to return after injury while Aberdeen physiotherapy student Duncan Sangster, currently on awork placement in Golspie, could also feature.
It will be a tall order for the Greens to end six match losing sequence by beating Howe of Fife, who have won nine on the spin.
MacMillan said: “It’s definitely going to be tough against Howe, who are a quality side who like to throw the ball about.
“I think they have improved from last season but we’ll be looking to make life difficult for them.”
The match is the first scheduled to go ahead at the main pitch at Millbank since the completion of major drainage works. It kicks off at 2 p.m. The fixture will be repeated later this season after Caithness were drawn against Howe in the third round of the new-look Scottish Hydro-Electric Cup.
The third round, played on February 2, is played on a regional basis, with the victors earning home ties in the next round, when sides from the Premier Leagues enter the fray.
Stewartry moved off the bottom for the first time after a convincing 31-15 win at home over Allan Glens on Saturday. That allowed them to leapfrog both the city side and Caithness and move them just a point shy of Glasgow Accies.
Howe meanwhile reined in Highland’s promotion hopes when the Inverness men went down 22-7 at Cupar.
Dumfries are making a strong push with their 29-15 home success over Glasgow Accies – their fourth win a row – powering them into third spot.
Forrester remain second though they were hard-pushed to earn a 17-10 win in Grangemouth while Kilmarnock kept in the promotion frame with a 14-10 win at Newton Stewart.
Linlithgow – D. MacKenzie, M. Green, C. Bredin, G. MacKenzie, A. Birrell, E. McDavid, T. Mladenovski, J. Cavana, B. Edment, K. Clydesdale, S. Jamieson, S. Waddell (cpt), S. Dobie, E. Richardson, S. Robson. Subs (all used): R. Martin, J. Gardner, D. Walker.
Caithness: J. Paterson, G. Ross, B. McIntosh, G. Fryer, K. Gove, G. Mackay, K. Hamilton, L. MacNicol, S. Dunnett, J. MacMillan, A. Morris, R. Pottinger, J. Sinclair, E. Sutherland, G. Anderson. Replacements (used) – H. Coghill and G. MacLeod. Unused – D. Wright.
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| :: Match Report |
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| 1st XV Season (2010/11) |
| Caithness vs Kilmarnock |
| 4th Sep 10 - KO: 15:00 |
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| :: More Fixtures |
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