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Shetland Ladies vs ICD

Shetland Ladies vs ICD

Eloise Smith6 Oct 2018 - 02:45
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Shetland ladies travel south for their second game of the Tennents North League.

Inverness Roe Show

Inverness Craig Dunain Ladies (ICD) 12 Shetland RFC Ladies 24

Shetland RFC Ladies travelled with an experienced side led by Captain Katie Roe to the Highland Capital last weekend endeavouring to break the hoodoo of never having beaten ICD on their home turf. Not only did the Shetland Lassies put in a 5 star performance, they also came away with the maximum 5 point bonus try win and inflicted the first ever home defeat on ICD in the last 4 years.

Shetland kicked off and immediately put the defence under pressure with ICD conceding a line out on their 22. Shetland claimed the ball through H Thomson at the front of the line and the pack rounded and drove forward. Moar fed out to Roe with MacKelvie on the crash ball and from the resultant ruck the forwards sensed the weakness. Driven on by Scott-Miller and then Wiseman, it fell to Sinclair to bulldoze over the try line and give the visitors a 0-5 lead in the 2nd minute of the game. From the restart, Shetland pounded forward again with Tulloch and Scott hugely abrasive in their ball carrying and it wasn’t long before the Shetland lassies were again on the ICD try line. The ball was slowed down at the breakdown so Scrum half Moar called in the forwards to pick and drive from the base of the ruck. Once, twice and then on the third latch, Scott-Miller was held up over the line. From the resultant Scrum, H Thomson picked up from No.8 and drove towards the line but came up short. The ruck was quickly cleaned out by Sinclair and Wiseman and the ball was spun left to Roe who stepped inside the defender and crossed the whitewash to push the score out to 0 - 10 in the 8th Minute.

Shetland dominated the half with a stiff wind to their slight advantage and ICD unable to break out of their own half. Any ball that ICD had was driven back at the breakdown and any potential breakout quickly snuffed out by a tireless defence. The Shetland attack was on song but the bulk of possession and territory wasn’t being rewarded on the score board. Shetland gave possession away all too easily in some cases when a more thoughtful pass or run may have seen bigger gains. It took a sustained passage of play towards the ICD line for the Shetland lassies to threaten again and it was Jennifer Thomson’s long arm and goosestep that beached the try line for the third time to nose Shetland out to a 0 - 15 lead. MacKelvie converted to make it 0 -17 on the stroke of half time. There was time for a re-start which Shetland quickly gathered and took back down the left wing resulting in a line out on half way. In the final play of the half and straight from the training ground, H Thomson once again rose in the line out and passed off the top to Moar. The ball was spun out to Roe who dummied the pass to MacKelvie and then shot a flat pass to Scott in the midfield. Scott parted the opposition centres and left the full back flat footed as she danced around her and sprinted the 30 metres between the posts to round off the half 0 – 24 with MacKelvie doing the conversion honours.

Shetland began the second period as they had left the first with pressure firmly on the ICD defence but the combination of stiff wind and a resurgent ICD team made life very difficult for the visitors. Ridland and Murray replaced Mullay and Jamieson to freshen the legs but ICD had the bit between the teeth and started attacking around the side of the rucks to great effect. The Shetland defence was good around the breakdown but a lapse in concentration allowed the ICD No.8 to burst through close to the ruck and sprint in the 20 metres to reduce the deficit to 5 -24 in the 55th minute. Shetland emptied their bench with Jessica Thomson, Topp and Smith replacing Jennifer Thomson, Falconer and MacKelvie in an attempt to bolster the defence but Shetland just could not break out of their own half. ICD crossed again in similar fashion to their first try to narrow the gap to 12 – 24 with 10 minutes to play.

A nervous time for Shetland and ICD came very close to clawing back the game. The defence was staunch but two try saving tackles ensured this historic victory. Firstly, Horvath chased down her opposite number just short of the try line after a 30 metre sprint and a certain try between the posts. Then a few minutes later, Topp took the ICD open side flanker body and ball in a head on tackle just short of the try line. These two outstanding defensive tackles typified the Shetland lassies resolute defence.

The tight five of Henry, Scott-Miller, Mullay, Jennifer Thomson and Sinclair together with the formidable back row of Hazel Thomson, Wiseman and Tulloch provided the platform for scrum Half Moar and stand off Roe to control the game at will and unleash the speed and dexterity of MacKelvie and Scott from centre. Roe dictated play throughout combining forwards and backs together and it was for this, along with her try, that Roe was awarded player of the match.

Thanks to sponsors Northlink Ferries and Star Rent a Car for their continued support at this national level. Shetland Lassies are at home on Sunday to Orkney with a noon kick off.

Training continues on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm at the North pitch, Clickiman so if you’d like to give Ladies Rugby a go, please come along and join in. Everyone is welcome.

Team: Kitti Horvath, Jacqui Murray, Jessica Thomson, Emma Falconer, Aimee-Leigh Topp, Charis Scott, Natalie Jamieson, Karen MacKelvie, Katie Roe (Captain), Stephanie Moar, Laurie Henry, Heather Mullay, Siobhan Scott-Miller, Eloise Smith, Leigh-Anne Sinclair, Jennifer Thomson, Donna Ridland, Katrina Wiseman, Leanne Tulloch, Hazel Thomson.

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