Ground Down but not Out
Strathmore 31 – 15 Perthshire
Perthshire defend & defend but can’t resist the pressure.
Perthshire entered Inchmacoble Park knowing they would face not only the 15 men of Strathmore on the pitch but their vocal supporters from Forfarshire assembled to watch the local derby.
It did not start well, Perthshire with the kick off, going short then conceding a penalty at the following scrum. However, after some defending ‘Shire managed to escape and a kick through put them onto the front foot and into Strathmore’s half.
Lineout struggles killed off the momentum and Strathmore kicked ‘Shire back down. Solid defence won a turnover and a quick tap by Lewis Murrie created an opportunity. A few phases later the attack died and returning for a high tackle penalty, Calum Bruce opted to take the shot at goal. It was a tough angle from 35m but he opened the scoring, 0-3.
Quietened temporarily, the home crowd were soon back in full voice as Strathmore crossed the whitewash a couple of minutes later following a sustained period of pressure. It did not take long for their second to arrive off the back of a lineout, 14-3.
The pendulum swung back to Perthshire who mounted a series of assaults on Strathmore’s 22. Eventually they were rewarded when Ross Goodison, further consolidating his transition to a hooker, scored off the back of a 5m lineout maul. Calum Bruce’s conversion just drifting right, 14-8.
The remainder of the first half saw ‘Shire defending hard, but the direct running from Strathmore was proving hard to overcome. Losing Adrian Venter to the sin bin put the Eagles under more pressure but they hung on, keeping a determined Strathmore out until the half time whistle.
The second half resumed where it left off, desperate but resolute defence from 14-man Perthshire holding out and winning turnovers to prevent Strathmore from making use of their numerical advantage.
Though restored to 15, the defence continued and it was the set piece where Perthshire were in the greatest trouble, conceding possession and/or position allowing the hosts to attack again. They scored 2 mirror images tries from the back of 5m lineouts on the left then right side of the pitch to extend their lead 26-8.
For what seemed like ages Perthshire were in their own half, then eventually the tide turned and slowly the Black & White shirts advanced up the pitch and into the opposition half then 22. Numerous phases and attacks came to nothing, then a turnover was spun out by Strathmore to their winger who raced up to halfway. A series of offloads and quick rucks took them to the 5m line on the right corner, then worked back inside and the space opened up for a hard carry to burst over the line, 31-8.
Time was nearly up but Perthshire were not finished. From the restart Tom Colvin was highest and won the ball. Worked to the middle of the pitch the play was switched back and James Whyte found a hole to get in behind. Caught, he offloaded to Calum Chalmers who drew in the last defender before releasing winger Thomas Pounder to dive over in the corner. Calum Bruce made the conversion from the tightest of angles and the referee blew for fulltime, 31-15.
Definitely a better performance from the Eagles but plenty to work on. It’s an away derby again this Saturday as Perthshire travel down the M90 to Dunfermline and seek to make amends for a frustrating loss at the Inch to the Fifers earlier in the season.
Photos taken by Peter Wilkinson.
