|
|
 |
| YELLOWS V ORKNEY by Iain Grant |
| Tue 8th Nov 2005 |
Caithness Seconds went down to a narrow defeat in Kirkwall on Saturday in the second of their four match 'test' series versus their Orkney counterparts.
Two late tries helped the islanders edge home 21-17 to level the series after going down 13-3 in the opening tussle in Thurso.
At stake is the Lynn Cup, the trophy put up for the annual clash but which has been mothballed for many years.
The Yellows opened the match brightly with stand-off Stewart Johnston using the breeze to pin the home side in their own half for long spells.
Centres Blair McIntosh and Hamish Boyd were prominent in early attacks as their side ran in two tries before the break.
The first was created when strong pressure forced a turnover, resulting in the ball being slung wide and Dougie Gunn being held up close the line.
Scrum-half Stuart Borthwick's quick feed put full-back Matthew Wicks over.
Despite losing lock forward Glyn Ruddle with a head knock, the Yellows retained the upper hand with McIntosh and left winger Brett Morris taking the eye with some lengthy intrusions.
The second try was scored by Johnston who displayed cricketers' hands in gathering an awkwardly bouncing ball to dive over at the flag.
Orkney got on the scoreboard when failure to gather a restart kick cost the visitors dear.
Orkney's resultant them squeezed out near the corner only for them to pirate the line-out ball to allow Kevin Spence to put Alan Pirie over.
Andrew Cromarty's conversion reduced his side's interval deficit to 10-7.
Caithness faced the elements after the break but were given an early fillip after registering their third score of the day.
It featured slick handling from forwards and backs with flanker Derek Bain breaking a couple of would-be tackles en route to crossing at the posts to allow McIntosh to add the extras.
The Yellows were to spend much of the remainder of the game on the back foot and displayed some robust and brave defending as their hosts picked up the tempo.
Midway through the half, the pressure bore fruit when a series of forward thrusts ended with Cromarty cutting a good angle to go over for a try, which he converted.
The Caithness defence thereafter held firm until five minutes from the end when a bullocking run from James Linklater took him over near the posts.
Cromarty's third conversion put his side 21-17 in front.
Orkney eased off in the final minutes and only some scrambling defence prevented their opponents retaking the lead.
Yellows coach Donald McIntosh was frustrated his side did not get the victory he believed their workrate and enterprise deserved.
He was keen to praise their defence while believing failings at the line-out proved costly in not giving the quality ball that the Yellows' potent back division would have feasted on.
The coach also criticised the forwards for not giving enough protection to scrum-half Borthwick, whose willingness to play as an auxiliary wing forward retrieving many a lost cause.
Caithness: M. Wicks, B. Morris (J. Patterson 60), H. Boyd, B. McIntosh, D. Gunn, S. Johnston, S. Borthwick, J. Miller, J. Malcolm (cpt), B. More, G. Ruddle (M. Leonard 25), D. Nicolson, R. MacKintosh, D. Bain (A. Findlay 60), I. Boyd, Replacements (unused): K. MacKenzie and P. Green
Orkney squad: M. Groundwater, A. Milne, R. Innes, R. Thomson, S. Rendall, K. Groundwater, D. Leisk, S. Hagan, E. Laughton, A. Cromarty, G. Kemp, K. Spence, D. McRobbie, A. Pirie, G. Thompson, N. McCartney, E. Bruce, K. Kent, M. Currie, J. Linklater.
|
| Back to News |
|
 |
|
|
|
| Stewartry |
1 |
5 |
| Berwick |
1 |
5 |
| Newton Stewart |
1 |
5 |
| Caithness |
1 |
5 |
| Waysiders Drumpellier |
1 |
4 |
| Highland |
1 |
4 |
| Alan Glens |
1 |
1 |
| Aberdeenshire |
1 |
1 |
| Hawick YM |
1 |
1 |
| Glasgow Accies |
1 |
0 |
| Kilmarnock |
1 |
0 |
| Annan |
1 |
0 |
|
 |
| 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 |
|
