It was top v. bottom at Torrance House on Saturday when Dalziel HSFP were the visitors. East Kilbride was looking to consolidate its position at the head of SRU West Regional Division while Dalziel hoped to salvage something from what, for them, has been a miserable season.
The unseasonably mild and dry weather that brought the curtain down on 2018 and continued into 2019 provided an ideal playing surface that enabled both teams to contribute fully to a very entertaining game of rugby.
EK attacked from the outset but having failed to convert position into points ceded territory and points as Dalziel converted a penalty on the EK 22 to give them an early lead. Any hopes they may have had of holding on to this advantage was dashed as tries from Richie Murray and Roddy Beaton, both converted by Scott Shankie, and a penalty try awarded when the visitors pulled down an EK maul as it headed for the line brought the score to EK 21 – Dalziel 3. Richie’s try came as a result of quick thinking on his part when, as the visitors offended within their own 22, he spotted a gap, took a quick, tap penalty and sprinted almost unopposed to the line. For his try Roddy was on the receiving end of a good handling movement involving forwards and backs. It was then Dalziel’s turn to attack. Jonno Ford replaced Evan Middleton who, until then, had displayed the strong running from no. 8 which those of us who follow EK regularly have grown to enjoy seeing. Jonno was on the field for only a few minutes when a high tackle did not go unnoticed and he earned a yellow card. With EK down to 14 it was Dalziel’s turn to keep the scoreboard operator, Ken Diamond, busy as they ran in two tries, one converted, to bring them within a single score of the EK total. EK did not finish the half quietly. Lewis Brown provided another display of his attacking capabilities to set up a scoring position for Grant Dryburgh and Lewis’ twin brother Matthew crossed close to the left touchline. Scott Shankie converted both to make the half time score East Kilbride 35, Dalziel 15.
Entering the second half with a 20 point advantage EK set out to play open attacking rugby. This seemed to have paid off when Roddy Beaton broke free only to drop the ball behind the posts giving Dalziel a scrum from which they relieved the pressure. I won’t repeat Gordon Dryburgh’s words here. Suffice to say that Gordon suggested that Roddy had earned the “…..of the day” award! EK did not have to wait too long for the first score of the half and it was Mark Ellison’s turn to touch down for a try that went unconverted. This was followed some 5 minutes later when Jonno Ford having served his 10 minute sentence crossed for the first of his 3 tries. Scott Shankie added the 2 points. The entertainment continued for the next 10 minutes. Dalziel crossed the line twice more with Roddy Beaton scoring his second try of the afternoon between them. He remembered to ground the ball before celebrating this time! Lewis Brown received a yellow card for a high tackle and the game moved into its final quarter which proved productive for EK and Jonno Ford in particular. Jonno’s second try of the day, converted by Scott Shankie, followed some good handling by the EK back division and his third came as a result of good, attacking, forward play. Lewis Brown, having switched to centre, rounded off the day with a try between the sticks. With Scott Shankie having left the field kicking duties fell to Grant Dryburgh who made no mistake with the conversion of the final two tries.
This was a day on which East Kilbride achieved the five point victory that they required to maintain their position at the top of SRU West Division 1. In addition to the 11 tries scored Roddy Beaton, Alex Irvine and Matthew Brown all crossed the line in the second half. Roddy’s attempt to win the Freddy Burns trophy has already been mentioned. Alex and Matthew had their tries disallowed as a result of offences committed earlier in the moves that led to them crossing the line. A very open game provided the perfect stage for the EK backs to show what they are capable of. Richie Murray continues to develop in his position at stand off and is marshalling the back division effectively. The Brown twins demonstrated yet again that they have attacking flair. Scott Shankie played his usual robust attacking game while Aiden Stott’s deceptive running created space for others. Grant Dryburgh had a relatively quiet game at full back but was always looking for an opportunity to attack. The forwards were quite dominant with all four back row players, Alex Irvine, Roddy Beaton, Evan Middleton and Jonno Ford, prepared to take the ball to, and often beyond, the opposition. Both Paul Rosie and Alasdair Dalgleish made determined intrusions into opposition territory and the front row proved, once again, that it is an effective unit in the scrummage and open play. In a game in which everybody performed well it is not easy to select a “Man of the Match” but for what he achieved both in attack and defence as well as for his three tries during the limited time he spent on the field this week’s Man of the Match is awarded to Jonno Ford.
While it was most heartening to put up a big score on the opening Saturday of 2019 everyone involved with EKRFC is well aware that tougher tests await. The first of these is due to take place next Saturday (January 12th) when EK travel to Beith to take on a Garnock team that has not been beaten since losing the second game of their league season on 8th September 2018.
Team: McLellan, Anderson, E. Beaton, Rosie, Dalgleish, Irvine, Middleton and R. Beaton. Ellison and Murray. L. Brown, Shankie, Stott, M. Brown and Dryburgh.
Replacements: Aitken, McLean, Ford and Stewart.