Perthshire 47 – 25 Greenock Wanderers
Perthshire play with positivity to give President a birthday to remember.
Spring came to the North Inch on Saturday creating excellent conditions for an exciting display of rugby. Despite confirmation of relegation, Perthshire had a point to prove and pride to play for. It was President Jon McLaughlin’s 70th birthday and his surprise party at the lunch beforehand ensured there was a large enthusiastic crowd there to support the Eagles.
Before the excitement both teams joined a minute’s silence ahead of kick-off to remember former Club President Watt Gray.
The home team started very brightly, receiving the kick-off and running it back with purpose. Soon the ball was moved to Aidan Watson who opened up the defence, and offloaded to Rory Bayne who carved his way down the pitch and sent the ball out to Thomas Pounder on the wing. Stopped 10m short, a quick recycle allowed the ball back to the centre where Rory Bayne found the space to round his opposite man and score a try within the first 2 minutes. Calum Bruce added the extras, 7-0.
Greenock hit back immediately, defensive penalties had ‘Shire in all sorts of trouble in their own half. It was only a matter of time before Greenock made good the pressure and scored in the corner.
They were back again minutes later, as the discipline failed to improve. Sterling defence by Dan Rae at the maul gave Perthshire a brief reprieve but Wanderers were soon knocking on the door. Defence continued to hold with Ross Goodison & Simon McGarry chief amongst the tacklers, however the sustained attacks eventually told as Wanderers burst over the whitewash from short range after a tap penalty, unconverted they took the lead, 7-10
Perthshire were struggling to keep the ball in hand with knock-ons frustrating their play. Greenock seized the opportunity of a turnover to hit right up to the line. Only a last minute tackle from Aidan Watson & Ben Marshall held the ball up. Greenock made no mistake at the next opportunity, running the drop-out back they created a hole midfield and ran in under the posts for a converted try, 7-17.
Perthshire now took the initiative and some slick offloads and hard carries took them up to the line. A cynical foul in the danger zone gave the referee no option but to reduce the visitors to 14 men with a yellow card. Taking a short penalty, ‘Shire made good in 2 phases, Angus Walker surging over to claim the try, converted by Calum Bruce, 14-17.
In defence ‘Shire were holding their own but a penalty allowed Greenock to extend their lead once more, 14-20.
Perthshire immediately struck back, or at least thought they had. Ben Marshall rose high to claim the restart and offloaded to Simon McGarry who rampaged deep into the 22. The ball was then sent out to the left where Aidan Watson came in to the line and after a flowing move Jonathan Venter touched down in the corner. The referee saw it differently, judging the ball held up and awarded a goal-line drop-out. Perthshire took receipt and bashed up the field again, then fired it out to the opposite wing where Thomas Pounder dived over in the corner for an unconverted try at the halftime whistle, 19-20.
The second half started with Greenock firing on all cylinders. After a few forays and Perthshire penalties they claimed their fourth try in corner following a move off the back of the lineout, 19-25.
It was Perthshire’s turn to attack now and, though stuck on the 22, as the pressure ratcheted up it became too much, with Greenock infringing one too may times, and they were again reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes. Capitalising on the advantage Lewis Murrie found & exploited a gap round the ruck to canter in from 22m out. Calum Bruce’s conversion returning ‘Shire to the lead 26-25.
The match got stuck in the midfield for the next 10-15 minutes. Neither team able to break through with dropped balls and miscommunication frustrating both in the wall of unrelenting defences, Tom Colvin fresh on the pitch and AJ Guthrie in the centre making sure no-one got past them.
Eventually after setting it up from the lineout the forwards hammered the line. It took a number of phases in & out to the backs and returned to the forwards until Captain Calum Chalmers, on his birthday, squeezed over for a try. Calum Bruce was having a good day from the tee and added the 2 points, 33-25.
With only an 8 point lead the match still had all to play for: Perthshire determined to give themselves more breathing room; as Greenock came back with ambition to close the scores. The intensity was there and knocks started to take their toll as the benches were emptied of replacements, Arran Sheach and Rabson Chipakupaku making an impact.
The clock ran down and with 5 minutes left there was still time for the match to go either way. Perthshire just edged the exchanges and from a scrum in the Greenock 22 a delayed pass by AJ Guthrie and deceptive line from Rory Bayne saw the centre run cleanly under the posts not bothered by any Wanderers player for a converted try.
Moments later the restart kick was taken and worked to the right wing. Tom Colvin sucked in the last defenders and released Rabson Chipakupaku who saw an open pitch in front of him and turned on the pace to scorch the ground as he ran in the final try, converted by Calum Bruce, 47-25.
The win and positivity from the men in Black & White was enjoyed by the crowd, but tempered by some frustration that performances like that would have avoided the relegation the team now face. That’s for another day, next week Perthshire are on the road for a derby fixture in Dunfermline. Due to the 6 Nations, the kick off is earlier at 12pm at McKane Park.
Photos taken by Peter Wilkinson.
