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| CAITHNESS 42 - 13 STEWARTRY by Iain Grant |
| Fri 21st Nov 2008 |
A rousing victory for the Greens lifted the gloom of a barren run of four defeats versus the top four in Scottish Hydro Electric National League Division 2.
The six tries-to-one victory in Sunday’s re-arranged match was lit up with some heady, imaginative passages of play.
The win lifts Caithness to mid-division with optimists pointing to the single bonus win which separates them from fourth place.
At the half-way point in the campaign, the realists will be focusing on the survival cut-off point, which could potentially be around the 30 mark.
With the Greens having shipped more points than any other side in the league, there is certainly no room for complacency.
After being well shackled in their previous four outings, their strike runners relished the licence they regularly enjoyed on Sunday to cut loose.
The opening attack almost paid dividends with a storming run from centre James Sinclair almost finished off by stand-off Kris Hamilton.
The opening try on nine minutes stemmed from a turnover claimed by prop John Foubister.
A quickly-taken penalty by Grant Anderson after Stewarty offended at the next breakdown sent play raging downfield with Sinclair finding space out wide to plunge over near the left corner-flag.
After Stewartry’s John Muir and Gary Mackay exchanged penalties, the Greens forged further ahead on 19 minutes after a coruscating break from scrum-half Graham Fryer. He sidestepped full-back Dale Ashby before cantering over under the posts with Mackay adding the conversion.
With Caithness sound in the scrums against a much heavier pack and their line-out, for once, working well, they had a platform to exploit their superiority in the wide zones.
Mackay hit the post with a straightforward penalty though the full-back quickly atoned with an all-enveloping tackle on Muir as the center burst clear.
Dissent from Stewartry’s abrasive flanker Steven McCulloch after he had gone off his feet at a ruck on 35 minutes moved the penalty 10 metres upfield which allowed Blair McIntosh to land the penalty.
Muir potted his second kick of the day on the stroke of half-time to reduce the leeway to 18-6.
Three minutes after the turnaround, a slick three-quarter move gave Sinclair the opportunity to show his pace again and a weaving run took him to the line for a try converted by Mackay.
On 47 minutes, he was in for his hat-trick and the bonus point try.
Skipper Ewen Boyd created a good attacking platform deep in the opposition 22 before the ball was worked left to right with McIntosh giving the scoring pass.
Within three minutes, Caithness had more joy when McIntosh got on the end of a neat chip from Hamilton to gather and make the 30 yards to the line.
Mackay converted before shortly afterwards demonstrated his tackling ability again with a textbook hit on tearaway loosehead James Farmer.
Sinclair went close again before a classy half-break from Dougie Wright looked to have put Evan Sutherland over only for play to be recalled for a marginal forward pass.
Four minutes from time, Stewartry profited after an oppostion move broke down and Ashby flyhacked through.
Though Gordie Macleod got back well to claim the loose ball, he was outnumbered and Stewartry reclaimed possession to allow Muir a breeze to the line.
Caithness had the final say when another sweeping move was finished off by Anderson who crashed over near the left corner at the tennis court end.
Caithness face their longest trip of the season when they face Newton Stewart tomorrow.
Their opponents had a sticky start to the season but followed up an impressive win over league leaders Whitecraigs with a 20-5 home win over Forrester on Sunday.
Sinclair is back offshore and Craig MacLeod is one of several Greens unable to travel but they should again be strengthened by one or two exiles.
Coach Jim MacMillan was delighted with Sunday’s display.
“It was great to see us regularly move the ball wide and score some really good tries. “Our kicking from hand was also as good as it’s been all season and there were some really good individual performances.
Caithness – G. Mackay, G. Macleod, B. McIntosh, J. Sinclair, K. Gove, K. Hamilton, G. Fryer, J. Foubister, H. Coghill, D. Buchanan, E. Boyd (cpt), G. MacLeod, G. Anderson, E. Sutherland, D. Gordon. Replacements (used) – D. Wright and S. Dunnett. Unused – J. MacMillan.
Stewartry – D. Ashby, B. Wallace, J. Muir, K. Berry, M. Boyd, J. Fingland, J. Kerr, J. Farmer, D. Burton, T. Cannon, G. Grant, K. McMinn (cpt), M. Smith, J. Affleck, S. MacCulloch. Replacements (all used) – A. Buchanan, C. Brown and J. Low.
Ref – Mr S. Anderson, Elgin.
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