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Greens step up their challenge with another Millbank bonus-point victory


By Iain Grant

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Cameron Ryder races through for the Greens' bonus-point fourth try against Dunfermline. Pictures: Alan Hendry
Cameron Ryder races through for the Greens' bonus-point fourth try against Dunfermline. Pictures: Alan Hendry

Caithness posted a third successive bonus-point win at Millbank on Saturday to step up their challenge in Caledonia Region League 1.

They leaked points at the end of each half before prevailing 30-19 against a dogged Dunfermline outfit.

These spells apart, the Greens had the whip hand in a match which head coach Ewen Boyd felt his side should have won with a good deal more to spare.

The flow of the game was regularly disrupted by penalties and a handful of sin-binnings as both sides fell foul of referee James Fraser's policing of the breakdown.

The Greens were also forced into two early rejiggings as a result of injuries to half-backs Kris Hamilton and Scott Webster, though the latter was able to later resume.

An early Marc Anderson penalty had Caithness in front, and winger Gordie Macleod had been stopped just short before a cute inside pass from Callum Hill gave him a clear run to the line.

A second three-pointer from Anderson extended the lead 12 minutes from half-time.

The Fifers then contrived to score with their first real attack with Owen Brown grabbing the first opposition try in 198 minutes of rugby at Millbank this season.

Lewis Cumming's conversion cut his side's interval deficit to 11-7, and they started the second half with a man advantage following home flanker Jack Sibbald's yellow card.

Caithness made light of the loss as they reverted to attack-dog mode with strong carries and good running lines the prelude to Kevin Brims crashing over from close in.

The Greens then capitalised on Dunfermline coughing up possession as they sought to run out from their own 22. The ball was quickly recycled, with Anderson putting Webster over before adding the extras.

Winger Alex Conners responded with a long-range try only for the visitors to again self-destruct when home centre Cameron Ryder latched onto a stray pass to run in unopposed from just outside his own 22.

The spirited visitors grabbed a third touchdown from James Brough, converted by Cumming.

Then in a final, frantic push to grab a try which would have been worth two losing bonus points, Hamish Wood looked to be a shoo-in to score in the right corner when he was cut down by an all-enveloping cover tackle from Macleod.

Euan Macdonald about to feed a Caithness scrum.
Euan Macdonald about to feed a Caithness scrum.

Boyd was generally happy with his side's defensive line speed and resilience, though he rued the lapses at the end of each half.

"We pride ourselves on our defence and I was a little disappointed that we let them in for a couple of easy scores," he said.

"We should also have scored a few more points in the second half to have made the game more comfortable for us."

While Sibbald picked up the man-of-the-match award, Boyd praised the contributions of lock forward Brims and young replacement prop Michael Gunn.

The coach was again left bemused by James Fraser's officiating of the ruck.

"I would again question a lot of the referee's interpretation of the laws at the breakdown," he said. "For instance, he yellow-carded Jack for what I thought was a very good clear-out at a ruck."

The Greens' season so far has been binary, with three decisive wins at home offset by three narrow defeats on their travels.

Boyd is hoping the sequence continues at home to Aberdeen Wanderers on Saturday.

Hamilton is sidelined and Scott Webster is an injury doubt, but centre Charlie Quinn is back in the mix while Dougie Webster faces a late fitness check on a flare-up of a shoulder complaint. The game kicks off at 2pm.

There is a second successive double bill of rugby at Millbank on Saturday with the Krakens in action before the Greens. They have a stiff challenge against Shetland Ladies who stormed to the top of the North Region League with a 27-10 win in Kirkwall over the previously undefeated Orkney Dragons on Saturday.

The Krakens will be missing Shannon Campbell, who is recovering from a broken collarbone, while another key player, Shannon Pasotti, will have a late fitness test on a shoulder injury. The match kicks off at 11am.


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