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| INJURY CURSE STRIKES AGAIN AS GREENS ARE WELL BEATEN by Iain Grant |
| Fri 3rd Apr 2009 |
Hawick YM 57 Caithness 7
Caithness suffered an emphatic reverse on Saturday at the hands of the promotion-chasing Borders outfit.
A recent run of injuries left the Greens without a clutch of key personnel, especially in the back division for their first trip to the Haugh in three years.
Then, a 23-12 win clinched their elevation to Scottish Hydro Electric National League Division 2. The roles were reversed on Saturday as the home men got the bonus win which keeps alive their battle with Linlithgow for the second promotion spot until their respective final matches of the season.
The Redskins are already assured of being crowned the most successful Borders side at the region’s annual awards in Kelso next month.
On Saturday, both sides observed a minute’s silence before kick-off in memory of club stalwart Hugh Petrie who died last week.
A big crowd watched the home side establish a firm grip on the game which they were rarely to relinquish.
Fullback Gregor Welsh was off-target with a kickable penalty as their early pressure counted for naught in the face of dogged Caithness defence.
The Caithness line was not breached until midway through the half when fly-half Graham Renwick’s half-break and offload saw wing Glyn Desport stopped just short.
From the ensuing scrum, flanker Ross Gibson charged down a would-be clearance kick and regathered to plunge over.
Shortly afterwards, the experienced Renwick again created the space for lock Kieran Willison to cross.
A scorching break from stand-in centre Stevie Campbell almost opening his side’s account five minutes from the interval. Campbell fed left winger Scott Foubister who was bundled into touch a metre from the corner-flag.
Hawick increased their lead before the turnaround when Welsh finished off a simple back move for a try, to which he added his second conversion of the day.
The heavy defensive demands on the Greens took its toll in the second half as fatigue diminished their collective effort.
Right winger James Sinclair became the latest victim of the three-quarters’ injury curse as he was forced to retire with a pulled hamstring.
Within 10 minutes of the restart, the Redskins established an unassailable lead thanks to touchdowns from replacement Barry Finn and centre Lee Armstrong, one improved by Welsh.
Midway through the half, Caithness scored after snappy line-out possession resulted in Campbell blazing a way to the line under the posts to make Gary Mackay’s conversion a formality.
YM took advantage of the major reshuffle required following Sinclair’s retiral by running in four tries in the closing 15 minutes.
Centre Scott McLeod grabbed two and right winger Hamish Neish one before a penalty try, with Welsh adding two conversions and Desport one.
Lambing commitments prevented coach Jim MacMillan travelling with the squad.
He said: “From all accounts, we were pretty well outplayed. “They are a useful outfit and it shows the gulf there is if you play with a makeshift side against one of the better sides in the league.
“You may get away with it against the weaker sides but not those towards the top of the table.”
The personnel problems are, if anything, worse as the Greens prepare to lock horns with Kilmarnock at Millbank tomorrow.
Sinclair adds to three regular backs out for what is left of the campaign while Gary Mackay is unavailable and Kris Hamilton in on under-19 Scotland duty in France.
MacMillan lamented: “We’re really struggling for backs just now – it’s going to be a real battle filling the jerseys on Saturday.”
On the credit side, Graham Fryer and Norman Foubister are set to return while William Mill could be again brought out of semi-retirement.
David Pottinger could also be back in action for the match which has a 1 p.m. kick-off.
Hawick YM -- G. Welsh, H. Neish, L. Armstrong, S. McLeod, G. Desport, G. Renwick, J. Farmer, B. Lilly, R. Taylor, A. Turnbull, K. Willison, J. Tinlin, C. Rodgerson, B. Hill, R. Gibson. Replacements (all used) – A. Douglas, B. Finn and C. Robson.
Caithness – S. Grant, S. Foubister, D. Gordon, S. Campbell, J. Sinclair, G. Mackay, K. Hamilton, D. Buchanan, B. More, J. Foubister, E. Boyd (cpt), A. Sangster, G. Swanson, E. Sutherland, G. Anderson. Replacement (used) – L. MacNicol.
* Caithness are to have a key role in the fight for second place in the league as their last match is at home to Linlithgow tomorrow week.
Linlithgow’s 19-0 home victory over Highland on Saturday leaves them four points ahead of the Redskins, who close with a trip to Stewartry.
Kilmarnock stepped up their bid to leapfrog Glasgow Accies into fourth when they scored an excellent 30-15 win at New Anniesland.
Runaway champions Whitecraigs celebrated picking up the league trophy at their Newton Mearns home with a 77-7 thumping of a weakened Newton Stewart.
Forrester meanwhile retain an outside chance of beating the drop following their 38-22 win in Edinburgh against Hillfoots.
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2 |
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2 |
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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