Yellows beaten as Eagles' fitness comes to the fore
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Caithness Seconds came a cropper against Kinloss Eagles on Saturday in their first home match in the north conference of Caledonia North Region Division 2.
After a competitive, entertaining first half, the Yellows looked good value to go on to win after they took the lead soon after the restart and were pressing hard to extend their advantage. But two tries in as many minutes by the visitors midway through the half proved decisive as they went on to run out 40-19 winners.
As was the case in the fixture last season, Kinloss arrived at Millbank short of players able to play front row. That meant scrums were uncontested, which blunted a potential weapon for the hosts.
Kinloss, who featured nine Fijians based at Fort George, made the early running and the Yellows had full-back Max Kennedy to thank for two crucial last-man tackles.
Caithness drew first blood when a powerful carry from Tom David took him to the five-metre line.
Scrum-half Euan MacDonald, who had just got back from a holiday in Barbados, was then inches short before Lachlan Jardine completed the job. Jamie Mowat landed the extras.
Kinloss were soon level after two passes from a scrum saw Taitusi Qaniuci surge over unopposed, with Isikeli Railoa converting.
The visitors retained the whip hand and soon the spring-heeled Tuitavuki Toro was jinking his way over. Railoa converted.
The tighter the game was, the better it suited the hosts and they enjoyed some lengthy spells of possession in enemy territory.
On 25 minutes, a five-metre lineout maul splintered the defence to allow prop Gary McPhee to break free near the touchline to score.
Mowat's kick was just short to leave his side 14-12 down at the half-time break.
The Yellows kept the initiative after the turnaround. They deservedly went in front on 46 minutes when another close-in lineout paid dividends when the space opened up for prop Michael Gunn to plough over.
Mowat's conversion put Caithness 19-14 ahead.
They continued on the front foot and looked set to draw further in front when Danny McLeod was put clear down the left flank. He looked certain to score but an early dive saw him ground the ball just short.
Kinloss took full advantage and exploited sloppy defensive lines to run in two back-to-back converted tries from centres Leone Delano and Toro.
The visitors' marked advantage in fitness then came to the fore as they put the game to bed with a further two tries in the last 10 minutes from Toro and Paula Rokocua.
Railoa added a further conversion to complete the scoring.
