Rugby
Published: 23/11/2011 12:30 - Updated: 30/11/2011 17:32

Strath topple the league pace-setters

Strathspey RFC collected the points with a 24-13 win over league leaders Highland Red in their latest Caledona 3 North-west outing.

The home team started Saturday's match at Kingussie High School with some good attacking play against the Inverness outfit.

Scrum-half Wallace, just back from injury, was looking sharp with some breaks from the back of the rucks.

However, the first points came when Highland turned the ball over in their own 22 and they attacked deep into the Strathspey half, with the home side guilty of giving away penalties.

Good defence saw Highland held up over the try line and awarded a five-metre scrum.

However, the referee signalled a Strathspey penalty by mistake, and with the home team backs turned, he allowed the visitors to take a quick penalty that resulted in the first try of the day.

With clean restart ball, Strathspey began to make their way up the field.

Captain Quentin Adam side stepping his way past two Highland players to run in from the 22 and Langlands added the extra two points to make the score 7-5.

With injuries to key Highland front row players, the scrums were now uncontested.

Some good back play from the visitors saw the Inverness side once again get their noses in front with a try with the conversion kicked being missed.

Strathie quickly responded putting some good phases of play together with the backs of Campbell, Brand, and Wood taking the ball into the opposing team's half.

The home forwards kept hold of the ball for successive phases before Howells went over in the corner for his first try for the club.

Langlands added the points again with a first-class kick from the touchline.

As half-time fast approached, some Strathspey players were caught offside giving Highland the chance to successfully kick for three points.

Highland started the second-half strongly, but some hard hitting tackles from Branley and Mackenzie stopped them in their tracks.

Strathspey won good turnover ball with Orr and O'Reilly hitting the ball up the middle of the park. Langlands was on-hand to get the offload and ran in the try from his own half, but this time he was unable to add the conversion.

Errors were now being made by both sides and the game turned in to a stop start affair with both teams finding it hard to get some sort of rhythm.

However, a Strathspey scrum paved the way for a well-worked move from the back of the scrum and Langland ran in for his second try of the day.

Captain Adam said he was delighted to lead the first team to beat Highland this season and that was boosted by the bonus point.

Strathspey RFC: Brand, O'Brien, Campbell, Langlands, Wood, Adam, Wallace, Collard, Martin, Veen, Howells, Orr, Branley, Mackenzie and O'Reilly. Replacements: Grant, Munro and Cornfoot.

Training continues tomorrow (Thursday) at Kingussie High School at 7pm. Strathspey play host this weekend to Inverness Craig Dunain with a 2pm kick-off.

 

 

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