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| GUTSY DISPLAY BY GREENS EARNS THEM A BONUS POINT by Iain Grant |
| Fri 9th Apr 2010 |
The Greens achieved what they set out to do on Saturday in securing the point they needed to banish any lingering fears of relegation.
A committed, gutsy display came close to breaking the depressing losing streak which has seen the Greens rub shoulders with the bottom feeders in Scottish Hydro Electric National Division Two.
But Saturday’s losing bonus point has allowed them to leapfrog Hawick YM into seventh and set their sights on finishing in the top half of the table. Had Caithness managed to control their setpiece on Saturday, they would surely have won with a good deal of comfort.
A malfunctioning line-out and an unsteady scrum failed to provide the platform for an eager back division which threatened every time they were set loose.
What was not in doubt was the Greens’ defensive mettle which they displayed in spades early in the second half when they kept their line unbreached in the face of a sustained 15 minute onslaught.
Caithness were boosted by the return of scrum-half Kris Hamilton from Scotland under-20 duties.
Missing a phalanx of regulars, they started with three Wick schoolboys, with a further two on the bench.
They enjoyed a rousing start with a series of phases ending with lock John Miller being held up close to the Cambuslang line.
Hamilton’s quickly-taken tap-penalty spread play wide and gave Gordie Macleod a chance to show his pace.
An injury to Scott Foubister after he made a bone-jarring tackle seemed to arrest the momentum. The winger was able to resume later after emergency repairs to a cut to his right eyelid.
Cambuslang opened the scoring with a penalty from Andrew Dick.
The home side then made ground with a series of pick-and-goes to allow Dick to break blind and cross for a score he converted.
The Greens were in the doldrums when their cause was re-energised by a virtuoso piece of play from Hamilton. Fielding the ball wide out on his side’s 10 metre line, he appeared corralled by three opponents.
But a mesmerising step and a couple of jinks later, he was running free down the touchline.
He then committed full-back Grant McGibbon before delivering the scoring pass to Evan Sutherland.
Stand-off Liam Brims landed the conversion before tying the scores with a penalty.
Cambuslang recaptured the lead when scrum-half Matt Heaney eluded the opposition radar to dart through a gap for a try, which Dick improved.
The visitors replied when Macleod intercepted a loose opposition pass on his own 22 and ran the length of the park, side-stepping MacGibbon en route to the posts. Brims’s conversion made it 17 points apiece at the turnaround.
The Glasgow side turned the screw after the break and applied a stranglehold of possession as they pounded the Greens’ line.
Heroic defence withstood one period but another multi-phase sequence finally got its reward when replacement David Bolton squeezed in at the corner flag.
Ref Alistair Watt awarded the touchdown after a lengthy deliberation with the home touch-judge. Dick nailed the conversion to restore Cambulslang’s seven point advantage.
The Greens looked dangerous whenever they were given the ball in space with centres Blair McIntosh and James Sinclair spearheading a series of midfield incursions. The pair were also at the heart of a pressing defence which regularly turned ball over.
An interception allowed home centre Grant Campbell to scamper clear and cross for an unconverted try with 15 minutes remaining.
Rather than fold, Caithness came storming back and deservedly grabbed another score when a rampaging run from McIntosh found Sutherland in support to run in his 20th try of the season.
Brims completed a 100% return from then boot in landing the extras.
The last scoring opportunity in the last 10 minutes fell to Dick whose 35 yard penalty faded past the post.
The miss drew gasps of relief from the Greens for whom the loss of a bonus point would have been rough justice.
The final score was Cambuslang 29 Caithness 24.
Cambuslang – G. McGibbon, S. Newbigging, G. Campbell, D. Donga, A, McManus, A. Dick, M. Heaney, S. Buchanan, J. McLaren, S. Dick, C. Tait (cpt.) , T. Griffiths, A. Mackay, A. Muir, I. Watson. Replacements (all used) – D. Bolton, A. Bean and C. Bolton (all used).
Caithness – G. Mackay, S. Foubister, B, McIntosh (cpt.), J. Sinclair, G. Macleod, L. Brims, K. Hamilton, M. Nicolson, B. More, S. Dunnett, H. Coghill, J. Miller, S. McIntosh, E. Sutherland, B. Parker. Replacements (both used) – P. Nicolson and M. Sutherland.
Ref – Mr A. Watt.
* Elsewhere, Glasgow Accies fuelled their promotion drive with a bonus point 41-12 win at the home of Waysiders Drumpellier.
Newton Stewart’s chances of beating the drop improved markedly after a gritty 19-8 home win over Hawick YM.
Stewartry remain in the mix though they took what could be an important losing bonus point from their 16-11 defeat at Kilmarnock.
* Caithness coach Colin Sangster is challenging his troops to cast off battle-fatigue and end their Scottish Hydro National League 2 season with two victories.
The Greens finish their programme at Millbank tomorrow when they biud to win their second league double of the season against Stewartry.
The Castle Douglas men have enjoyed a good recent run and are now almost certain to beat the drop.
Sangster said: "They have had some good victories and there is much less pressure on them now. Given the personnel we have at the moment, we'll have to play well to beat them and it proves a good test for our youngsters.
"They have had a run of hald-a-dozen games without a win but they now have a good chance to earn a victory and then finish the season on a high by winning in Kilmarnock."
The coach is keen to reward the players who travelled to Cambuslang last Saturday though he was waiting until last night's taining to finalise tomorrow's squad.
Skipper Andy Morris, Roddy Gray, Tommy Sutherland and Christopher Sinclair are available to strengthen the pack, while Hamish Coghill will make a return.
Tomorrow's match kicks-off at 2pm.
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| 1st XV Season (2009/10) |
| Kilmarnock 81 - 5 Caithness |
| 17th Apr 10 - KO: 12:00 |
| Venue: Bellsland |
| :: Match Report |
 |
| 1st XV Season (2010/11) |
| Caithness vs Kilmarnock |
| 4th Sep 10 - KO: 15:00 |
| Venue: Millbank |
| :: More Fixtures |
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