Match Report | Aberdeenshire Quines v Orkney Dragons 12-10-19

Tennent's Women's North League (East)
Aberdeen - Saturday 12th October 2019
Aberdeenshire Quines 44, Orkney Dragons 15

Last Saturday the Dragons were down to Aberdeenshire for the last game of league split against Aberdeen Quines. As the team ranking was set from the previous results, little was at stake and the game was an opportunity for the newest players to clock some game time and experience.

It’s therefore a quite relaxed team that travelled down to battle Aberdeen Quines, though tired by the intensity of the season’s start (six games in seven weeks!) As it is now usual, the 17 Dragons were reinforced by three Caithness players. 

The game kicked off at 12pm under the Aberdeen sun.Aberdeen at home with a strong team soon scored their first try, finding the space wide of the dragons back line, where tired legs and less experienced players made defence harder for the Orkney players. Two more tried followed for the Aberdeen Quines.

Ten minutes before the end of the first half, the Aberdeen players where again close to the Dragons try line. But good defensive pressure lead to the quines spilling the ball in-goal. Quick reaction from Orkney scrum half Charlene Nicholson taking the 22-meter drop out allowed Orkney to counter attack and regain good ground. Strong work from the forwards led to the first try for the Dragons by Jennifer Scott. Conversion was missed by Nikita Scollie.

A final try from Aberdeen put the score to 29 – 5 at the end of the first half.

Orkney came back re-motivated from the break. Reorganised in defence and competing successfully for the ball in rucks Orkney managed a higher rate of ball possession, and the second half saw the Dragons played their rugby again. Emmerleight Smith found a gap through defence running the length of a full pitch only missing the try from a few meters due to a good tackle from the opposition winger. A bit later strong team work allowed the back line to make a good break through that Kirsty Jane finalised by the second Orkney try. And finally a combined Back and forwards effort lead Florence Ungaro to find a gap in the defence and score a third try for Orkney.

The Aberdonians added three more tries to their score board in the second try.
Despite a final score of 44 – 15, the Dragons came home happy with the team work they have put in the game and looking forward to a week rest before the next game on 26th October, at home against Stornoway.

Forward queen of the team was Jo Inkster who played a strong game in defence winning the dragons several turnovers and back of the game was Donna Wilson, always improving in her new position as a 10 this season, and efforts chase and runs in defence.

G.N.