High flying Division Four leaders Dumfries proved simply too strong for a hardworking Orkney side in this cup clash. Despite the endeavours of the hosts, the visitors, whose oldest player was just 26, were worthy victors, running in two tries and preventing Orkney scoring for more than 70 minutes of a game played in perfect conditions at Picky.

With skipper Glen McLellan missing due to work commitments, Orkney had to re-organise for the match, Al Watson switching to centre and John Dearness coming in at stand-off. The late withdrawal of James Linklater, with an achilles injury, saw Raymond Moodie take his place in the starting 15, Colin Risbridger coming in as a replacement.

The referee, Derek Burns, made his intentions clear right from the off, awarding three early penalties with both teams straying offside. Dearness opened the scoring for Orkney, with a kick from about 35 yards out inside the first two minutes. Straight from the restart, it was Orkney who were penalised and the impressive Tim Hiddleston drew Dumfries level. A couple of accurate kicks from scrum half Roger Hall and full back Erlend Hutchison got Orkney back into the Dumfries 22, where another offside gave Dearness the chance to restore Orkney's lead, which he duly did.

The opening period of play was somewhat scrappy, but Dumfries showed signs they were going to play a running game, Rodney Spence being called on to make an excellent tackle on 13 minutes, turning his man and gaining possession for his side. At the line-out, Orkney were looking strong, Ed Russell, playing at number five in this game, winning good ball on many occasions. However, Dumfries took the lead with the first of their two tries on 18 minutes. Back row forward Josh Brill made excellent progress coming onto the ball at speed.

He was stopped on the Orkney 22, but he set up the ball and it was fed wide to the right at pace, and full back Kenny Henderson came into the line to make the overlap and score in the corner. Hiddleston's kick drifted wide of the posts from a difficult angle, but Dumfries had taken a lead they never relinquished.

Orkney produced their best bit of play of the half so far on 21 minutes. Andy McGill took the ball from a line-out and made his way across the field. It came back left to Ray Moodie, but he was left isolated and Dumfries cleared with a huge kick that took them to the Orkney 22. Following the line-out, the visitors were awarded a penalty, which they chose to kick to the corner, rather than attempt the three points, but after a subsequent infringement, Orkney were given the chance to clear.

A good move involving hooker Andrew Milne, second row Kevin Sinclair and Russell then got Orkney moving again, up into the Dumfries 22, but good defensive work turned the ball over and the danger was cleared. This seemed to be the pattern of the game - Orkney getting so far, but then losing possession either through a mistake or good defence. On the half hour, Dumfries were handed a good chance inside the Orkney 22, when Hutchison could not take a low pass from Hall, the knock-on giving the visitors the put in at the scrum in a dangerous position in front of the posts. However, the danger was averted when the Dumfries centre dropped the ball as he came onto it at speed in a move straight from the training ground. A couple of minutes later, it was all hands to the pump in Orkney's defence as Jamie Farquhar burst through after Dumfries turned over an Orkney scrum and almost got to the line. It took good scrambling defence and an excellent tackle by Andrew Cromarty to keep the visitors out, followed by a solid kick from Dearness. Dumfries continued to press down the right through Hiddleston, but this time, full back Henderson was offside as he came into the line.

The pressure was beginning to tell on the Orkney players, who were then twice judged guilty of pulling the maul down, the second offence giving Hiddleston the chance to extend the lead to 11-6. He made no mistake.

Orkney almost found their way in with the last move of the half, set up by Russell, who fought his way forward, taking four defenders with him. The ball came back to McGill, who broke a couple of tackles, and he was supported by Raymond Moodie and Kevin Pepper. The ball came out wide and it took a last ditch tackle from Johnny Sloan to keep the home side out and the referee blew for half-time.

A couple of injuries early in the second half to Russell (shoulder) and Dearness meant Orkney had to re-organise, with Watson moving to stand-off, Risbridger and David Leisk on from the replacement's bench. The home side was then penalised for coming in from the wrong side, and Hiddleston extended the Dumfries lead to eight points - a handy margin but by no means decisive. However, midway through the second half came the incident which blew any chance Orkney had out of the water. It stemmed from an accurate chip into the corner from Dumfries ' Hiddleston. Erlend Hutchison was across to cover, but was terribly isolated. Johnny Sloan was up to challenge quick as lightning, and Hutchison had no option but to release the ball over his line, allowing the winger to touch down. Had Hutchison held onto the ball, the referee would have had little alternative but to award a penalty try.
Hiddleston made an excellent kick from the touchline, and Dumfries were home and hosed.

To their credit, the Orkney players kept on going, and enjoyed an extended spell of pressure as the game went into time added on.
John Dearness was held up just a metre short, Rodney Spence was unlucky as he couldn't hang on to the ball when coming into the line at speed and Colin Risbridger was millimeters away when a pass found him on the overlap. A last ditch tackle forced him out of play just the wrong side of the flag.
The referee blew for time just as Dumfries broke down the field and looked set to score, but that would have been a tad unfair given the all-out efforts of the home side.

Orkney must now pick themselves up as they prepare for the visit of Strathmore to the county next weekend.

Orkney: R. Thomson, A. Milne, L. Thomson, E. Russell, K. Sinclair, E. Knight, K. Pepper, A. McGill, R. Hall, J. Dearness, R. Spence, A. Watson, A. Cromarty, E. Hutchison, R. Moodie. Replacements: S. Spence, C. Risbridger, D. Leisk.

Dumfries : R. Dunlop, R. MacMillan, A. MacKinnon, D. Naylor, D. Henderson, J. Brill, S. Wight, J. Little, S. Kennedy, A. Bryden, I. Layden, J. Farquhar, J. Sloan, T. Hiddleston, K. Henderson. Replacements: A. Sloan, J. Magill, D, Crichton, M. Rennie.

Stuart Laundy (www.orcadian.co.uk)