You are here: Match Reports / 1st XV / Cartha 30th September 2006
| “ A POINT FOR ENDEAVOUR” HILLHEAD JORDANHILL 11pts CARTHA QP 18pts On a second successive Saturday which saw the “crowd” clothed in “shirt sleeve order”, “Hills” lost to their south side rivals, Cartha QP, by three tries and one penalty goal to one try and two penalty goals. While their late flurry of activity gathered a welcome losing bonus point, the “Hills” display lacked nothing in toil and endeavour, but was short in any real continuity and sustained threat to the visitors. Indeed with 30 minutes gone and the score locked at nil all, there were some in the home camp who felt that this might just be the “Hills” day to begin turning matters around, but there was little real evidence for that.. Most of the game was played in the “Hills” half of the field with the Cartha area almost virgin territory. The home scrum was being given a fearsome examination with visiting props, Harvey and Lamont, the twin pillars of Dumbreck, frequently hanging their opposite numbers, Joe Stafford and Nick McAuley, out to dry; while the visiting midfield of Gibbon and Denny danced menacingly into open space. Yet for all their dominance, Cartha QP reached the interval only eight points ahead, the “Hills” conceding an offside penalty in front of their posts, while a well worked rolling maul from close range proved unstoppable. The home team had only fleeting moments of attack with the pugnacious Stewart McMillan to the fore in a downfield hack and chase, and the indomitable Cammy Kerr everywhere. The second half continued to be disrupted with injuries and frequent changes due to yellow cards – “Hills” lost two men during the game, one of whom was, astonishingly Scott Weston, the gifted footballer and least aggressive of the home team, while Cartha had sin binnings and also injuries – but “Hills” continued to struggle, only being able to make ground through their goal kicker, Scott Weston, with two well struck goals. Yet toiling manfully brings its rewards, as the “Hills” in the final quarter managed to win some more breakdown ball and bring some of their runners into play, crossing the gain line and establishing targets for their forwards to drive at. Prominent in this period were Stuart Todd and David Frame, both of whom found confidence to take the ball at pace into the Cartha defence. After a series of rucks in the visitors twenty two, some fine off loading allowed Nick McAuley, a prop with an archetypal profile but possessing marginally more pace, to power his way over the visitors line to touch down for an unconverted try. This brought the loudest cheer of the afternoon from the home support who at last had seen some reward for their team’s efforts. There was no time to restart as referee Andy Healy’s whistle brought play to an end in a game which both Clubs would regard as not being one of their better displays. “Hills” 1st XV –David Frame, Martin Yorston ( Stuart Ross ), Andy Milligan, James Warwick, Stuart Todd, Scott Weston ( Martin Yorston ), Andrew Cameron, Nick McAuley ( Cammy Kerr ) , Stewart McMillan (Ewen Weir), Joe Stafford ( Nick McAuley ), Stuart Rose, Marty Lane ( Chris Tulloch) Stuart Ross ( Murray Allan ) Campbell Rae , Cameron Kerr ( C ) Subs – Aaron Collins |
