BT Cup 2nd Round
5 November 2005
Orkney hosted old adversaries Aberdeen Wanderers in the BT Cup second round last Saturday. Aberdeen are currently sitting in second place in National Division 5B Caledonia, having already travelled to Lerwick to play Shetland in the league, where they came away with an impressive win.
Orkney got off to a great start running in 2 tries through Adam Towrie and John Dearness in the first 10 minutes. It looked as though the Orkney side had managed to overcome the problems they have been experiencing at the breakdown over the past couple of matches and were securing very good, quick ball for the backs to run with.
The next scores came from skipper Glen McLellan who handed off a couple of weak tackle attempts on his way to the line, James Linklater slotted the conversion. Orkney’s forwards kept the pressure on the Wanderers pack and forced another turnover, but unfortunately the ball was knocked on in the contact and the visitors cleared their lines. The next score came from a well executed set move with a dummy scissors in the centre allowed the McLellan through the gap and over for his second try. Andy McGill was next on the score sheet after an extended period of possession from the home side, saw at least 5 phases of possession, including good ball retention when Garry Burton was held up just short of the line before the Gairsay man drove over for the score to the right of the posts.
“New boy” Colin Risbridger got himself on the score card once more after some excellent play from James Linklater, who was having a good all round game having kicked a number of very tricky conversions. Half time score was 38 – 0.
Just after half time, Orkney were back on the offensive and Lee Thomson, who was also having one of his best games for Orkney, drove over for his first score of the season. At this point Orkney started to be a bit guilty of a lack of depth in the backs meaning passes were becoming a bit forced and going to ground too much. This took the sting out of their attack somewhat for about a 10 minute period. A few strong words after yet another penalty and it was back to business as usual with quick hands from the backs after a McGill tap penalty saw a very well taken try from John Dearness.
It wouldn’t have been an proper Orkney win without chief finisher Al Watson getting in on the try scoring action. His first from a quick tap penalty and drive over for a try from his usual 5 yards and his second from a lung bursting 60 yards after a couple of side steps from a kick off.
John Dearness got his hat trick shortly afterwards with a dummy inside pass to dive in at the corner and Andy McGill rounded off an man of the match winning performance with a try after McLellan made 40 yards from a kick off and offloaded to the Gairsay man who sprinted the remaining 30 yards to outstrip the defence. James Linklater scored the conversion to bring the final score to 74 – 0.
Orkney now progress into the 3rd round of the cup, where all of the Premier League teams enter the fray, so fingers and everything else are crossed throughout the county for another home tie on the 3rd of December.
Next week it’s Orkney’s chance to make amends for their only defeat of the season so far when St Andrew’s University travel North to fulfil the postponed match from earlier in the season. With a 12 noon kick off, a good crowd would be a great boost to the home team.
Orkney: E. Drever, D. Sutherland, L. Thomson, S. Spence, K. Sinclair, G. Burton, E. Russell, A. McGill, A. Watson, J. Dearness, G. McLellan (Captain), K. Pepper, A. Towrie, C. Risbridger, J. Linklater.
Subs: S. Paterson, R. Moodie, N. Work.