|
|
 |
| GUTSY PERFORMANCE REAPS REWARDS by Iain Grant |
| Fri 13th Mar 2009 |
Glasgow Accies 6 - 7 Caithness.
Victories achieved on the back of unpromising circumstances are always the sweetest. So it was on Saturday when the Greens contrived to score a gutsy triumph despite an angst-laden build-up to Saturday’s clash at New Anniesland.
Personnel was so thin on the ground as they prepared to set off on Friday evening that coach Jim MacMillan was close to considering whether or not they would be able to fulfil the fixture.
The rugby equivalent of a press-gang resulted in the 11th hour recruitment of Gavin Swanson to make his debut despite having only played a couple of matches since leaving school.
Brett Morris and James Paterson, students at Dundee and Aberdeen respectively, were also commandeered to make up a squad of 15.
They gelled so well that the achievement of a second successive away league win – a rare occurrence – was fully merited.
Accies endured a taxing afternoon where they regularly coughed up possession and spurned several glaring try-scoring opportunities.
They had expected the short-handed Greens to tire in the latter stages but this does not materialise as they comfortably held on to their one-point advantage.
The home dressing room after the game was no place for the faint-hearted as director of rugby Donald Reid laid in to his charges for their shortcomings.
Caithness enjoyed a more-than-decent start with Paterson and fellow centre Blair McIntosh the spearhead of a rush defence, which Accies struggled to cope with.
The visiting back row also laid early markers in their work at the breakdowns and in linking attacks.
It was against the run of play when Ali McLaren kicked a 40 metre penalty to put the city side ahead after 10 minutes.
The pressure exerted by the Greens was forcing a regular concession of penalties.
Fine line-breaks from Paterson, Stevie Campbell and Evan Sutherland helped Caithness gain prolonged footholds in opposition territory.
Five minutes from the interval came the crucial score with Campbell released from the 22 on a run-in to the posts. Gary Mackay added the extras to put his side 7-3 in front.
The Greens, who were facing the breeze, had their shakiest period during the remainder of the half.
The Accies’ surge went unrequited thanks to several all-enveloping open-field tackles on fly-half Ben Wilkinson and McLaren when they looked certain to score.
Mackay also took a crucial mark in the shadow of his try-line when being hunted down by three opponents.
Caithness bossed the third quarter with some enterprising attacks while their defence remained as resolute as ever.
Accies reduced the leeway midway through the half when McLaren kicked a second penalty.
The home side did press more in the latter stages with McLaren again stopped just short and two driven mauls being repelled by sterling resistance.
Despite seven minutes of extra-time, Accies could not get the extra score which, on the balance of play, they did not deserve.
Greens coach Jim MacMillan said: “It was a fantastic performance from the boys.
“Yes, they made a lot of mistakes but that was as a result of the pressure we applied.
“It really shouldn’t have been as close at it was at the end as I felt that throughout we were the more composed and creative with the ball.”
MacMillan paid tribute to the staying qualities of his troops who had sustained their effort until the last whistle.
He said: “I think they believed we would run out of steam in the last 20 minutes and they chose not to go for goal with several penalties.
“But our guys dug deep and we were actually on top for most of that time.”
The Greens’ relegation fears had vanished by the end of January but Saturday’s win – their second in a row at New Anniesland – means they are now mathematically out of reach of the bottom two.
Tomorrow, they will need to summon up another big perfomance if they are to get anything out of their home match against Whitecraigs.
A 22-9 home win over Hawick YM on Saturday clinched promotion for the Newton Mearns outfit and a win tomorrow would secure the title.
The Greens will be missing the versatile Danny Gordon, who is at the Murrayfield international, while James Sinclair and Norman Foubister are offshore.
Useful recent performances in the Seconds by rugby ‘returnees’ Adrian Campbell and Colin Smith look set to win them places in the squad.
Tomorrow’s match at Millbank kicks off at 2.30 p.m.
Caithness v Accies – G. Mackay, S. Grant, J. Paterson. B. McIntosh, B. Morris, K. Hamilton, G. Fryer, D. Buchanan, H. Coghill, J. Foubister, E. Boyd (cpt), G. Swanson, G. Anderson, E. Sutherland, S. Campbell.
*Highland stayed in the relegation mix after their 8-3 reverse in Edinburgh against fellow strugglers Forrester.
Hillfoots meanwhile remain bottom after going down 17-5 at home to Greenock Wanderers.
Linlithgow kept their promotion drive on course with a 21-3 home success over Newton Stewart while Kilmarnock held on fifth following their 10-3 victory away to Stewartry.
|
| Back to News |
|
 |
|
|
|
| Hawick YM |
2 |
10 |
| Kilmarnock |
2 |
9 |
| Waysiders Drumpellier |
2 |
9 |
| Glasgow Accies |
2 |
7 |
| Berwick |
2 |
6 |
| Annan |
2 |
5 |
| Highland |
2 |
5 |
| Aberdeenshire |
2 |
4 |
| Stewartry |
2 |
4 |
| Caithness |
2 |
3 |
| Newton Stewart |
2 |
1 |
| Alan Glens |
2 |
0 |
|
 |
| 1st XV Season (2010/11) |
| Caithness 25 - 27 Kilmarnock |
| 4th Sep 10 - KO: 15:00 |
| Venue: Millbank |
 |
| 1st XV Season (2010/11) |
| Stewartry vs Caithness |
| 11th Sep 10 - KO: 15:00 |
| Venue: Greenlaw |
| :: More Fixtures |
|
