Eagles Blown Off Course
Howe of Fife 40 – 15 Perthshire
Too slow to start Perthshire are punished in first half.
Storm Arwen blew in and forced the 2XV match away to Waid Academy FP to be postponed but the 1XV trip to Howe of Fife was good to go. There was thus sizeable support on the bus with many 2s players joining to watch the match at Duffus Park.
The first half was dominated by the wind and the Eagles’ scrum. Winning the toss, Howe opted to play uphill but with the wind at their backs for the first 40 minutes. For ‘Shire it was a tough period of intense defence and slow marches towards Howe’s goal-line.
Both teams were up for it from the start with big hits and powerful runs. It was Howe who opened the scoring around the 10 minute mark after working the ball out wide to score. Perthshire rallied and fought straight back pushing into the 22 but were turned over at the ruck. Howe cleared with the wind taking them right back into the ‘Shire 22.
This pattern would continue, Perthshire made hard yards, Ross Goodison, Ewen MacDonald and Mat Rae leading the charges, only to drop or get turned over. Then Howe would send it back down for Perthshire to start again. The teams were even but for the scrum. Kyle MacKinnon was destroying his opposite prop; time after time the Howe scrum reversed and buckled, yet, the referee saw no infringement and forced Jack McIntosh at scrumhalf to play the ball out.
The second try came for Howe after a counter-attack where ‘Shire were exposed in the backfield, 14-0. The Duffus Park crowd were enjoying the spectacle of the match. Shaun Barton, Dan Rae and Angus Walker gave the ‘Shire line a hard edge which repelled the Howe attacks, at one stage forcing a knock-on in-goal to prevent a third Howe try. More surging runs from Kieran Ramsay and Calum Chalmers built momentum backed up by James Mair. Scott Alcorn and Aidan Watson were making breaks but support in wider channels or in behind was not quick enough.
Still the scrum was dominating Howe who would wheel it round in desperation, but no reward came the Eagles’ way. Then at last a scrum penalty – against Perthshire for boring in! More bad luck followed when at the stroke of halftime, Howe scored from close range following a lineout to lead 21-0.
Three scores down the men in Black & White got their orders from coaches Alan Clark and Kenny Christie: use the wind, continue to dominate the scrum and keep up the pressure.
It didn’t go to plan, the wind died down so Howe were reprieved from fighting against it and scrum dominance failed to gain any credit. Despite a bright start, Howe again on the counter-attack released Gregor Smith to score under the sticks.
This rallied Perthshire and they fronted up more, really taking the game to Howe. Angus Walker in particular was causing them problems, to which one Howe player took exception and used his head to try and change things. Unimpressed the referee produced a red card for the headbutting Howe player and dismissed Angus Walker to the sin bin for 10 minutes with a yellow card for his retaliation.
Minutes later Perthshire crossed the whitewash. After sustained pressure from the forwards battering towards the line, Kieran Ramsay claimed the 5 points.
Tempers were fraying and the referee was struggling to contain the frustrations of both teams, with ‘Shire increasingly aggrieved that the scrums were still not yielding the penalties they felt were deserved and then a forward pass going unnoticed for Howe to score their 5th try. To compound the bad luck, vice-captain James Mair had to leave the field injured.
A high tackle on Aidan Watson won Perthshire a penalty which he sent to touch around 10m out. Calling the lineout to himself Ewan MacKessack-Leitch took the ball and secured by Dan Rae the maul rumbled inexorably forwards. Splintering slightly at the line, Man-of-the-Match, Kieran Ramsay took hold of the ball and pushed over for an unconverted try, 33-10.
Restored to 15 men minutes later ‘Shire had a numerical advantage for the rest of the match. Having threatened all day with breaks, the back 3 of Jonny Armitt, Shaun Barton and Ross Goodison linked together on the counter to send the latter over after some slick hands and fine running. There were now 10 minutes left for ‘Shire to score again and secure at least a try bonus point.
Perthshire came close on a couple of occasions but were undone by the decisions of referee and players under pressure. Ross Goodison again went very close but the momentum was lost by a poor pass. Howe illegally slowed the ball after a Mat Rae break only for the Perthshire players to be penalised for trying to remove the offending players from lying on the ball.
Howe took one more try and their bench & coaching staff managed to get entangled in an “off-the-ball incident” before the referee called time at 80 minutes.
It was deflating for Perthshire to have nought to show from the match. For 30 minutes they were on top but games are a full 80. Positives to take but lessons to learn ahead of next weekend’s trip to Midlothian to face the undefeated Lasswade.
The 2s are also away, as they return to action at Bannockburn in the penultimate match of 2021.
Photos taken by Heather Kirkman.
