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| FORRESTER 10 - CAITHNESS 16 by Iain Grant |
| Fri 18th Apr 2008 |
This spirited win in Edinburgh could prove pivotal in the Greens’ fight to stay in Scottish Hydro Electric National League Division 2.
A heroic defensive display ensured skipper Andy Morris’s first half try was decisive in chalking up their third win on foreign soil in this year’s roller-coaster league campaign.
Defeat would have put them in a decidedly dodgy position as they await their final match in this prolonged season, at home to Grangemouth on May 10.
Saturday’s 25-18 defeat for Grangemouth at the hands of relegation rivals Glasgow Accies deepens the plight of the former.
The pressure is now very much on Grangemouth as they bid to avoid accompanying already-relegated Allan Glens into NLD3.
In order for their cause to still be alive when they travel to Millbank, Grangemouth would have to garner at least nine points in their other three matches, at home to Newton Stewart and Forrester and away to Highland.
It is a tall order for the lowest points scorers in the league.
From a Caithness perspective, Saturday’s win means their fate lies entirely in their own hands.
Even if Grangemouth notch up the unlikely target of three bonus wins, defeat for them in Thurso would ensure the Greens’ survival.
Accies will be aiming to emulate Caithness when they complete their campaign with a visit to Forrester tomorrow, when a victory would take them clear of the relegation dog-fight.
They currently sit a point ahead of Caithness, on the same total as Stewartry, who have played all their fixtures.
Last Saturday’s win for the Greens was particularly laudable given that they had to contend with the by-now usual problems of putting together a squad to travel.
The problems were particularly acute in the three-quarters where flanker-cum-hooker Stevie Campbell was fielded at outside centre and the wing berths were occupied by fledglings Gordie Macleod and Keith Foubister.
Hamish Coghill and Ryan MacIntosh provided an inexperienced second row Combo while Wick High fourth year Craig MacLeod was a late emergency call-up.
It may have had a patchwork look to it but the side competed with a hunger befitting of their precarious league standing.
An early penalty potted by Blair McIntosh gave them encouragement, which was further stoked when they grabbed the first try on 25 minutes.
It came after they had worked their way up the touchline with a well-controlled series of phases.
A niftily-executed version of a favourite line-out move shifted the point of attack to allow Morris to bulldoze his way his way over.
McIntosh slotted the conversion to open up a 10 point gap. That presaged a concerted spell of pressure from the home troops.
Suitably stung, they launched a wave of attacks which fully tested the Greens defence.
Gordie Macleod was particularly targeted but the diminutive winger stood up well to a bombardment of high balls as well as putting in some all-encompassing tackles.
The pressure eventually told shortly before the interval when Forrester over-stretched the Greens’ fringe defence before moving the ball out to score an unconverted try out wide.
McIntosh restored the 10 point gap with a second penalty soon after the restart.
Caithness seldom looked like piercing the home line again though a sparky sequence did set Macleod free, only for him to be downed near the line by a crunching cover takle from Forrester full-back Stewart Fulton.
McIntosh missed a snip in front of the posts before converting a third penalty to put his side 16-10 ahead.
It was still too close to call and the visitors had to withstand a determined late onslaught before they could celebrate a hard-earned win.
Coach Jim MacMillan was delighted with the outcome. He said: “Considering the team we put out, it was a cracking result.
“The forwards have been playing pretty well for the last few weeks and they put in another really good shift.
“The backs also defended really well and Gordie, in particular, played out of his skin.”
The coach added: “The win means our fate is now back in our hands.
“It also gives us a real boost for the cup game tomorrow.
“We’re now playing with the confidence you get from getting a few wins under the belt.”
Forrester – S. Fulton, C. Bradford, S. Broadfoot, S. Roseburgh, F. Lamont, A. Panther, C. Panther, D. Allan, D. Dingwall, R. Merrilees, E. Brodie, N. Gunderson, S. James May, K. Taylor, R. Davidson. Replacements – P. Crolla, I. Beveridge and M. Johnstone.
Caithness – K. Gove, G. Macleod, B. McIntosh, S. Campbell, K. Foubister, G. Mackay, K. Hamilton, L. MacNicol, S. Dunnett, R. Pottinger, R. MacIntosh, H. Coghill, A. Morris (cpt), E. Sutherland, G. Anderson. Replacement (used) – J. Foubister. Unused – C. Macleod.
Top versus bottom had a predictable outcome on Saturday when Howe of Fife rounded off their title-winning season on a high. Their 51-10 win over Allan Glens in Glasgow allowed them to finish their unbeaten campaign with 100 points.
Elsewhere, Highland’s strong push to finish third continued when they put Stewartry to the sword, winning 53-7 in Inverness.
Saturday’s other game saw Kilmarnock defeat Linlithgow 22-7.
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| 1st XV Season (2010/11) |
| Caithness 25 - 27 Kilmarnock |
| 4th Sep 10 - KO: 15:00 |
| Venue: Millbank |
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| 1st XV Season (2010/11) |
| Stewartry vs Caithness |
| 11th Sep 10 - KO: 15:00 |
| Venue: Greenlaw |
| :: More Fixtures |
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