Highland 12 v Orkney 7 SHE Cup

1st XV Match Report
10 January 09

Orkney travelled away on Friday night’s boat to Aberdeen to play their 3rd round tie in the Scottish Hydro Electric Cup v Highland RFC in Inverness, a win would see Orkney take on premier 2 side Musselburgh at home, a loss and it would be a bye in the first round of the bowl.

The team had a few changes from the previous week, Neil McCartney was back in to the front row, David Titterington was in at outside centre for the injured Dean Campbell,  Glen Thomson took on the role at full back for the unavailable Erlend Hutchison and Adam Towrie slotted in on the wing, Adam Baird and Daniel Adams made there first game for the 1st 15 on the bench along side Sean Corrigall and David Grant.

With the conditions very bad when we arrived with wind and rain we knew then that it was going to be all about the forwards and it proved so Orkney won the toss and opted to use the wind in the first half and pin Highland in their own half it took Orkney a good 10 mins to settle into the game and had a lot of defending to do Adam Towrie and Callum Rendall both making try saving tackles to keep Orkney in the game.

The home side were the first to score with their tight head prop bundling over for a score 5 - nil Highland, they failed to convert the try this seemed to spur Orkney on and were very unlucky not to score on two occasions, John Deerness and Al Watson kicked very well to pin Highland in their half but Orkney could not get over for the score, half time score Highland 5 Orkney 0

Orkney knew this would be the tougher half and knew that it would be all about defence and that we did. As the conditions were that windy and wet there was no chance of big long passes or missed moves in the backs so it was up to the forwards to pick and go around the rucks and mauls Orkney strung together 20 phases of play building up to Al Watson going over 5 yards to the right of the posts for the try, up stepped Eric Laughton for the conversion head on to the wind and sailed the ball between the posts to make the score Highland 5 Orkney 7. Orkney held on and defended their hearts out but it was the fresh legs of the Highland replacement that powered his way over to get the winning try for the home side the try was converted.

Orkney battled on till the end and never gave up, keeping the ball for lots of phases of play but could not break through for a winning try, final score Highland 12 Orkney 7

It was a very funny feeling walking off the pitch disappointed we lost but very proud to have played with 18 boys that never gave up never moaned great discipline all through the game and most of all believed in their selves and everyone beside them

We have set the standard now and we can not slip away from it in the rest of the season ahead, we were so close to beating a side who lie 2 divisions above us and I would say on this occasion the better team lost out. Thanks to Garry Coltherd for his coaching on the side lines and his people skills in the bar afterwards! Al Watson was named man of the match.

Orkney team
1 Erland Drever
2 Alan Brown
3 Neil McCartney
4 Kristian Cooper
5 Rob Thomson
6 Andrew Cuddihy
7 Callum Rendall
8 Edward Russell
9 Eric Laughton
10 John Deerness
11 Phill Ross
12 Al Watson
13 David Titterington
14 Adam Towrie
15 Glen Thomson

16 Daniel Adams
17 Adam Baird
18 Sean Corigall
19 David Grant

BULL