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| LINLITHGOW 27 - CAITHNESS 10 by Iain Grant |
| Wed 25th Oct 2006 |
Today’s encounter at Millbank is shaping up to be very much a make-or-break match for the Greens if they are to have any interest in this year’s National League Division 2 promotion race.
After a bright start which had them on the coat-tails of leaders Falkirk, their defeat to the latter triggered a run of three reverses in what is proving a barren October.
As the league approaches the half-way stage, Caithness find themselves for the first time in the lower half of the league.
Defeat to third-placed Garnock tomorrow would not signal the raising of the white flag but it would almost certainly end their hopes of making another step-up.
The current sticky spell has been magnified by a run of tough fixtures coinciding with a dispiriting run of injuries and unavailabilities.
It meant six 16-and 17-year-olds were included in the Greens’ first trip to play at sun-kissed Mains Park, the home of Linlithgow.
Since reforming in 1970, the West Lothian outfit have in recent years cemented a position in the higher echelons of the national leagues as well as reaching a national cup final.
They currently run three senior XVs as well as boasting a thriving youth set-up.
Caithness endured a tough opening to the match and found themselves 10-0 down within 10 minutes.
After fly-half Matt Dixon dropped a goal, he landed the extras from an opportunist try from scrum-half Stewart Hammond.
With the Greens featuring untried combinations at half-back, lock and back row, it was unsurprising that they looked less than convincing in the early stages.
They were hit by a second try when hooker Kevin Hope got the ball down at the end of a close-in driving maul.
It was to be a tough day for the Green pack who were under pressure at the setpiece and regularly outgunned at the breakdown.
The back division did very well in the rare opportunities they were given.
Midway through the half, the visitors got on the scoreboard with a well-conceived and executed try.
The opening was created by a break-out by winger Richard Mackay from his own half.
Flanker Evan Sutherland sustained the move before handing over to teenage scrum half Kris Hamilton who showed a clean pair of heels to his pursuers to motor in from the opposition 10 metre line.
Mackay converted and added another penalty shortly before the break.
At 15-10, Caithness were very much back in it and they sustained the momentum into the second half.
They unfortunately could not convert the pressure into points, with Mackay missing two penalties and two potential try-scoring chances going to waste.
Linlithgow soon regained the initiative but they lacked a cutting edge and struggled to penetrate a committed defence.
The interval score remained unchanged until 10 minutes from time when Hammond was sent in for his second try, which Dixon converted.
Before the end, winger Andy Birrell breezed clear to secure the bonus point fourth try for his side.
In between these touchdown, Caithness launched an audacious attack from the shadow of their own line.
The surprise attack saw the hosts outnumbered by five to three as play was taken to the half-way line before the move fizzled out.
Linlithgow’s director of rugby and former SRU president Gordon Dixon said afterwards: "The score probably reflected the game but all credit to Caithness for the way they played.
"Every time they got a chance, they tried to move the ball wide."
Caithness coach Colin Sangster could not quibble with the outcome given the long spells of pressure his side had to face.
But he regretted his side had not gone for the jugular during its purple patch either side of the interval.
He said: "Had we scored then, we could have gone on to win.
"We were also still in the game with 10 minutes left but we just couldn’t give the backs the platform they needed."
Sangster said: "We probably had the weakest side we’ve fielded all season.
"We struggled up front. We didn’t scrum very well and I reckon we won three clean line-outs all day.
"We were ineffective at the contact-point and struggled throughout to get quick ball."
The coach praised the display of the back division, in attack and defence.
"They had to live on scraps but every time they attacked, they looked dangerous."
Given the number of changes of personnel, Sangster took a number of positives, mainly from the performances of the teenage contingent.
Caithness v Linlithgow - S. Duff, R. Mackay, D. Sangster, B. McIntosh, J.
Sinclair, G. Fryer, K. Hamilton, J. Foubister (cpt), S. Campbell, T. Sutherland, G. Anderson, D. Budge, L. MacNicol, A. Sangster, E. Sutherland. Replacements - D. Lewis-Saunders, D. Gordon and J. Paterson (all used).
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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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