Greens hope to have much stronger squad for National Shield tie
Panmure pitch up at Millbank on Saturday to play Caithness for the first time in their 144-year-old history.
The National Shield first-round tie provides both the Tayside outfit and their hosts some much-needed distraction from misfiring starts to their respective Caley 1 campaigns.
Panmure have lost their first five games in the Midlands Conference, conceding 265 points in the process.
The Greens on Saturday slumped to their third sizeable defeat on the road, 76-12 to Ellon in the North Conference.
Their dire away results contrast with their sparkling form at home where they have secured bonus-point wins versus Mackie and Highland Seconds.
Head coach Cameron Boyd is hoping the much stronger squad he can regularly call upon at Millbank can be decisive on Saturday.
The Broughty Ferry side have booked two overnight stays on their return trip.
The Greens travelled to Ellon missing 16 who have been regular starters. The front row was the only unit unaffected by the familiar rash of unavailability and call-offs.
The opening quarter had a competitive feel and did not hint at the one-sided affair to come.
“We were on top for the first 20 minutes and it looked like we were going to make a real contest of it,” Boyd said. “But we just ran out of steam and they were able to play the game on their terms.”
The Greens capitalised on their lively start by opening the scoring when Duncan Mackay was fastest to react to ground Jamie Mowat’s well-judged grubber in-goal. Mowat added the extras.
Ellon levelled midway through the half with a converted try from Ross Davidson.
The scales tipped decisively in favour of the home side with two tries, Davidson’s second and a close-range effort from lock Finlay Hagen, before the interval.
Ellon underlined a dominant second-half display with further tries from Aaron Hay (2), Ryan Dickie, John Campbell (2), Jonnie Munro, Chris Brown, Angus Caven and Sebastian Orus. Brown landed seven conversions and Dickie one.
Grant Mackay ran in the Greens’ second try.
Boyd acknowledged Ellon had been clinical in profiting from errors and in converting scoring opportunities.
A big plus for Boyd was Reece Coghill’s first start after being out for a year following a knee ligament replacement. The number eight got through a power of work in defence and attack and ended the game as an emergency centre.
“He was outstanding and was our man of the match. He made 18 one-on-one tackles and missed just one,” the coach said.
Boyd said lock Lachlan Jardine was also adapting well to the unfamiliar position of lock in a gutsy display before being taken off suffering from suspected concussion,
The game was notable for being the 50th cap for scrum-half Euan MacDonald, who led the side in the absence of injured skipper Cole Wilson.
Two other milestones could be celebrated on Saturday with both Gordie Macleod and Hamish Coghill on the brink of joining the exclusive 300 club,
The match kicks off at 3pm.
Aberdeenshire moved clear at the top of the North Conference after their 48-26 victory over the previously unbeaten Ross Sutherland. In the other match, Mackie defeated Highland Seconds 32-27.
Caithness Seconds are due to play a rescheduled Caley 3 League Highlands and Islands Conference match away to Turriff.
