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Click here for the Kelso view
Click here for the Kelso view
| “UTTERLY” BLOWN AWAY Kelso 39pts Hillhead/Jordanhill 12pts At 12pts all after 30 minutes and playing into the wind that blew down Poynder park all afternoon, “Hills” had every reason to feel satisfied with their shift up until then, particularly as they had scored two tries to Kelso’s four penalty goals. The bitter reality was hard to bear as that was the last “Hills” experienced parity, losing heavily by three goals and six penalty goals to a goal and a try. Although Kelso relied mainly on their experienced former pro’, Kevin Utterson, who played excellently at full back, successfully converting all the penalties and conversions he took and also scoring a try, their team gave a much more rounded and structured performance than “Hills” . Yet the visiting forwards contested all the first phase game situations well and worked very hard, taking the only tight head strike of the game. At times, their rucking was crisp, but too often the first and second receivers made little headway, and hard won ball was either plundered or slowed down by the more streetwise home XV. Scorers for “Hills” were “Vince” McAulay who drove over the line after 13mins to score a fine try, and Andrew Gillman who backed up well to finish off a move started by the redoubtable Cammy Kerr from a no. 8 pickup some 45 metres out. Second rower, Martin Lane, took the ball on and, when stopped , offloaded well to the scrum half who scampered round behind the posts to give “Gus” Twaddle an easy conversion. The only significant effort in a dire “Hills” second half show was a disallowed “try” for Ally Jamieson, who in the company of David Paterson , chased a speculative kick from “Gus” Twaddle. The bounce of the ball evaded the Kelso cover and landed in the winger’s hands, but after touching down the decision given was offside, as the linesman indicated the ball had first come off the chasing Paterson. It had been that kind of day. Best for an out of sorts “Hills” XV were Twaddle at full back, who tackled and fielded the ball well throughout; and Kerr and captain, Stuart Ross, in the back row. A somewhat deflated Grant Sweenie summed up the coaching team’s feelings: “In many ways, this was difficult for us. But we are very determined to stay in Premier 2. Our training sessions are very well organised by Keith, and attendance and commitment is good from everyone in the Club. We need to concentrate for the whole of the 80 minutes. It would be nice to have the occasional break sometimes. We shall pick ourselves up and prepare hard for the Cup tie away against Falkirk.” Hills XV – Angus Twaddle, Chris Jubb , David Paterson , Ally Wright (Donald Robertson ), Ally Jamieson, Cammy McCulloch, Andrew Gilman, Douglas Walker , Stewart McMillan , Nick McAulay (Calum McConnachie) , Chris Tulloch ( Duncan McCartney ), Martin Lane ( Stuart Rose ) , Stuart Ross ( C ), Cammy Kerr and Stuart Rose ( Douglas Crichton ) . Subs. All used |
