Team Sponsors
S2 - Report
Date: Sunday 28th October 2012 - Kick Off: 14:00
Friendly
| Dalziel | 0 | vs | 40 | Strathaven |
Strathaven S2 v Dalziel, 28th October 2012
Score line: 40 : 0 (11 tries, 7 conversions to nil)
An outstanding performance from the whole squad saw the S2 team repeat last season’s comprehensive win against Dalziel with another resounding victory, this time in Motherwell. Despite the wet and windy conditions that restricted any free-flowing rugby, the forwards stepped up to the plate to effectively nullify any quality ball for Dalziel and contained the game almost entirely. This provided a stronghold of a platform for the backs who capitalised whenever they could.
It was clear from the outset that the heavy pitch and drizzling rain were going to limit the opportunity for clean handling and free-flowing back line moves. Up step the forwards and how! All of the Strathaven front eight can take a huge amount of pride in their efforts in controlling phase after phase of play and building a fortress of a platform for themselves and the backs to feed off. Right from the off, Strathaven were camped in the Dalziel half. A classic forwards ‘pick and go’ phase saw the ball released out to Sam Park (2) who crashed through the Dalziel defence from his unaccustomed position as centre to score.
Kyle Dixon (3), who clearly has added conversion kicking to his impressive list of skills and capabilities, arrowed the first of 7 conversions during the game. Angus Watt, who shone in this fixture last season, carried on where he had left off and put in an outstanding first period with superb support runs, ground-making breaks and also turned up on the wing, much to the astonishment and fear from his opposite number! Sam Connery (2) didn’t take long to make his mark either with a scorching scrum-half run right to the line and managed to flick the ball in the tackle to the supporting Craig Thompson (1) who somehow managed to pick the ball off his toes to score.
The Strathaven forward pressure was relentless and this allowed the backs to enjoy quality ball too. This time it was Kyle Dixon who benefited as he picked up a neat pass from his stand-off and waltzed his way through several missed tackles to touch down. After some powerful ruck and maul play from Angus and Harry Dunsmore which kept the ball live, the ball found its way to Sam Park who once again powered his way over to notch his second of the day.
More phenomenal forwards play from Angus Watt saw him gain 15 meters for the Strathaven pack who retained possession well and fed the on-fire Kyle Dixon to blast his way once again through tackles, side-stepping as he went, to end the period 19.0 ahead after he converted his own try.
The second period must have had Dalziel barely able to draw breath with attack after attack stemming from more superb forwards play. With the boys camped in the Dalziel 22, a spill at a line out saw the razor sharp Sam Connery pick up and rocket through the melee to score. As the game continued in this fashion the boys were perhaps understandably guilty of allowing gaps in concentration to creep in and some elements of the game became a little scrappy, particularly in the ruck and maul areas where they failed to capitalise on superb securing work and lost possession several times.
However, normal service was resumed before long and this time it was James Westland (2) who was on hand to run in the first of his two excellent scores following a superb break from James Brown. With the second period finishing 29.0 the boys were beginning to tire a little with the heavy pitch and the sheer effort to maintain an almost stranglehold control over the game reflected in the growing number of stops to the game to tend to Dalziel injuries.
The final period saw more of the same from Strathaven which must have been disheartening for their opponents. Sam Connery almost scored from the first whistle following another damaging run from Sam Park. Kyle Dixon put in one of his trade mark tackles on his opposite number and Sam Connery was unlucky not to score after again following another mazy break that saw him just come up short of the whitewash. However he managed to pop a pass up to the ever present Kyle Dixon whose shout for the pass heralded his third score of the day. Jamie Blair (1) put the final nail in the Dalziel coffin after finishing another superb move with Angus Watt once again blazing his way through the defence to set up the score.
Overall, this was a superb team display with forwards dominating much of the game in what were heavy-going conditions. Stand-out individual performances from Sam Connery, Kyle Dixon and a Man of the Match performance from Angus Watt saw the Dalziel boys grateful for the final whistle. Well done boys!!
It was clear from the outset that the heavy pitch and drizzling rain were going to limit the opportunity for clean handling and free-flowing back line moves. Up step the forwards and how! All of the Strathaven front eight can take a huge amount of pride in their efforts in controlling phase after phase of play and building a fortress of a platform for themselves and the backs to feed off. Right from the off, Strathaven were camped in the Dalziel half. A classic forwards ‘pick and go’ phase saw the ball released out to Sam Park (2) who crashed through the Dalziel defence from his unaccustomed position as centre to score.
Kyle Dixon (3), who clearly has added conversion kicking to his impressive list of skills and capabilities, arrowed the first of 7 conversions during the game. Angus Watt, who shone in this fixture last season, carried on where he had left off and put in an outstanding first period with superb support runs, ground-making breaks and also turned up on the wing, much to the astonishment and fear from his opposite number! Sam Connery (2) didn’t take long to make his mark either with a scorching scrum-half run right to the line and managed to flick the ball in the tackle to the supporting Craig Thompson (1) who somehow managed to pick the ball off his toes to score.
The Strathaven forward pressure was relentless and this allowed the backs to enjoy quality ball too. This time it was Kyle Dixon who benefited as he picked up a neat pass from his stand-off and waltzed his way through several missed tackles to touch down. After some powerful ruck and maul play from Angus and Harry Dunsmore which kept the ball live, the ball found its way to Sam Park who once again powered his way over to notch his second of the day.
More phenomenal forwards play from Angus Watt saw him gain 15 meters for the Strathaven pack who retained possession well and fed the on-fire Kyle Dixon to blast his way once again through tackles, side-stepping as he went, to end the period 19.0 ahead after he converted his own try.
The second period must have had Dalziel barely able to draw breath with attack after attack stemming from more superb forwards play. With the boys camped in the Dalziel 22, a spill at a line out saw the razor sharp Sam Connery pick up and rocket through the melee to score. As the game continued in this fashion the boys were perhaps understandably guilty of allowing gaps in concentration to creep in and some elements of the game became a little scrappy, particularly in the ruck and maul areas where they failed to capitalise on superb securing work and lost possession several times.
However, normal service was resumed before long and this time it was James Westland (2) who was on hand to run in the first of his two excellent scores following a superb break from James Brown. With the second period finishing 29.0 the boys were beginning to tire a little with the heavy pitch and the sheer effort to maintain an almost stranglehold control over the game reflected in the growing number of stops to the game to tend to Dalziel injuries.
The final period saw more of the same from Strathaven which must have been disheartening for their opponents. Sam Connery almost scored from the first whistle following another damaging run from Sam Park. Kyle Dixon put in one of his trade mark tackles on his opposite number and Sam Connery was unlucky not to score after again following another mazy break that saw him just come up short of the whitewash. However he managed to pop a pass up to the ever present Kyle Dixon whose shout for the pass heralded his third score of the day. Jamie Blair (1) put the final nail in the Dalziel coffin after finishing another superb move with Angus Watt once again blazing his way through the defence to set up the score.
Overall, this was a superb team display with forwards dominating much of the game in what were heavy-going conditions. Stand-out individual performances from Sam Connery, Kyle Dixon and a Man of the Match performance from Angus Watt saw the Dalziel boys grateful for the final whistle. Well done boys!!
Player Of The Match
Comments (1)
Duncan Robertson - 7 months agoFantastic result boys and adding to the drubbing some of their Minis got the day before. Great pictures of Harry powering forward with the ball.
Post A Comment
RSS Feeds
Comment & Share