Bonus point victory boost for the boys
Perthshire 36 – 14 Carrick
This bottom of the league clash was played in terrible conditions but an early morning pitch inspection by Fin Hay allowed the game to go ahead although the conditions underfoot were very slippery which ruled out the possibility of a fast paced running game of rugby. Carrick, who are enduring a torrid season, could only muster 14 players for the trip to Perth although they did persuade their ex President to enter the fray in the 2nd half and full credit to them, they certainly did not give Perthshire an easy 80 minutes.
Perthshire attacked the game from the kick off and took full advantage of Carrick’s early disorganisation. Jonny Armitt, in the unaccustomed role of stand off, sped over in the opening minute and then converted his own try to give Shire a 7 – 0 lead. Knowing that Carrick were a man short and lacking cover at full back, the Perth boys kicked and chased to good effect and Ross Goodison and Aidan Watson raced to claim a touch down after Goodison hacked through and the young centre was first to claim the try. Pete Saunders was next on the score sheet as Shire increased the pace of the game and he outsprinted the cover to score out wide. This was followed a minute later when Aidan Watson grabbed his try following another kick and chase and his pace was too much for the covering defence. Barely 15 minutes had gone and Perthshire had scored 22 points and looked totally in command.
However, Carrick began to plug the holes in their defence and during the last quarter of the 1st half they regrouped and made Shire work very hard. Perthshire welcomed back the vastly experienced Duncan Clow and Paddy Coupar in the forwards and Pete Saunders in the backs and these three certainly added a bit of steel and composure to Shire’s play. Coupled with the return of Blair Twaddell, Kieran Ramsay, Ross Goodison and Aidan Watson and the imminent return of Ryan Miller and Ross Angus not to mention Dan Bowater, Perthshire have reason to be optimistic in their fight for survival this season.
Rab Pittendreigh completed Shire’s scoring in the 1st half as another kick and chase resulted in a try but with Paddy Coupar being yellow carded and both teams having 14 men, Carrick took full advantage and scored on half time. Carrick looked a changed team in the 2nd half and competed strongly for every ball and were first to score with a Currie try. The game became bogged down in the mud and as both teams were now at full strength neither could obtain a clear advantage. Shire’s front row of Twaddell, Ramsay and MacDonald were solid in the scrum and prominent in the loose but Carrick actually bombarded the Shire line for long periods but couldn’t break through the resolute defence. Paddy Coupar settled the game when he scored for Shire and the home side were happy with their bonus point win although an injury to Mat Rae did take some of the gloss of the victory.
With the long lay off and so many games being postponed at the weekend, this competitive match will have done Shire no harm whatsoever and it was just what was needed to help players get back to the fitness levels they need to be at for the run of games ahead of them. The returning players, many of whom were playing the first game this season, will no doubt be feeling the pain just now but will feel the benefit in the coming weeks. Hillhead Jordanhill are next up and this will be a difficult game but if the players continue to improve their fitness and attitude then they have nothing to fear.
The 2XV also returned to action after a 7 week lay off due to postponements and the Christmas break. They fell short on a keenly contested fixture against Montrose. See the match report here.
