P7
Fixture
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PRIMARY SEVEN MATCH
REPORTS MUSSELLBURGH MINI RUGBY TOURNAMENT Ellon had long been looking
forward to last fixture of the season as the North-east team has had a
good relationship with this southern club for some time and always
enjoyed both the hospitality and the level of competition this
tournament has provided. This occasion was to
prove no different with Ellon placed in the hardest draw against some
very stiff opposition which was taken as a compliment. Once
again Ellon was joined by its travelling band of supporters who as ever
were noticed by all for their vocal support of the teams. As
ever I would like to extend the thanks of both players and coaches for
their continued help in away games. Ellon 0 Portobello 2 Portobello were an unusual team as they fielded 3 girls. Ellon’s performance was much improved from the previous week at Stirling, and they managed to produce some good phases of play. There was some confusion about the touch down area and a brilliant breakaway try by Danny Copland was disallowed for being over the deadball line. Portobello suffered a similar set back minutes later, so honours were even. The Ellon forwards, Alistair Rose, John McLean and Scott Cochrane managed to provide good possession for the backs, but good defending by Portobello denied Ellon , despite good efforts from Kyle Hutton, Calum Redmond and Kyle Adalsteinsson. Alastair Gossip turned in a very creditable performance as scrum half, and Portobello were lucky to win after one breakaway try and an interception. North Berwick 7 Ellon 0 In the second match Ellon’s weaknesses as a side were exposed by a school team who never looked in danger. Ellon managed to excert some pressure in the second half, but were unable to turn possession into points. Ellon’s performance was better than the score indicates, but they were out played by a far stronger team. Team: Kyle Adalsteinsson, Scott Cochrane, Daniel Copland, Alastair Gossip, Kyle Hutton, John McLean, Calum Redmond, Alister Rose; plus 2 guest players from Musselburgh RFC.
WHITECRAIGS,
GLASGOW, FRIENDLY – September 9, 2001 Ellon’s
youngest rugby team returned triumphant from their first fixture of the
new season in Glasgow on Sunday. The
Primary Four squad notched up three consecutive wins against their
Central Belt opponents, while the three other teams in the Ellon mini
rugby section returned with mixed results. A
good crowd of parents and supporters followed the squad coach to
Whitecraigs RFC in the first of a season of journeys down south to take
on the best in Scottish rugby. Mini
section convener Jim Millar said the youngsters were determined to
emulate the senior players in constantly improving their skills and the
reputation of ERFC. “To
do this, we have no choice but to play 95 Per cent of the season in the
southern half of the country,” added Mr Millar. “We can only thank the growing number of supporters who are
willing to undertake these journeys to support the young players.” Ellon 1
Whitecraigs 3
It
was a revamped forward line that started the first game of the season on
Sunday. An injury to regular Alistair Rose gave newcomers Keiron Rainnie
and Ben Sim an opportunity to show what they could do. With Calum
Redmond and Rory McDonald playing for the first time as second row
forwards there was apprehension about whether the boys could work
together. These doubts were
dispelled within the first few minutes when it became obvious that the
forwards were not only holding their own but winning more than their
share of ruck and maul ball. Despite his injured wrist, prop Scott
Cochrane was making his experience tell in mustering the forward line.
Although the Ellon backs had the ball made available to them,
they could not manage to get a clear sight of their opponents try line
and found difficulty in getting through a tenacious Whitecraigs defence.
Ellon's efforts left them open to quick counterattacks and they
went into the turn around three scores down. The
second half saw Ellon putting more pressure on and eventually Timmy
Badham scored his first try of the season after a typical twisting solo
run. Ellon continued
to dominate the play in the forward line, but only some hard tackling by
scrum half Danny Copland and wingers Ricky Roy and Charlie Mustoe kept
the hungry Whitecraigs backs at bay for the rest of the half. Ellon 4
Helensburgh 4
Helensburgh's
forwards fared little better and the referee had to warn them a number
of times about coming in from offside positions to try
to win the ball. Helensburgh
decided that their best chance of winning was to keep the ball moving
and this proved crucial in them going in 2-1 ahead at half time with
winger Ricky Roy scoring for Ellon after good interplay between the
backs. The
game bogged down early in the second half as Ellon tried to capitalise
on their forwards’ dominance and their opponents fed more players in
to stop them. This tactic
allowed space for the Ellon backs to move the ball in and Timmy Badham
scored twice in quick succession. Ellon’s
inattention at the restarts allowed their opponents to run in two easy
scores in reply before stand off Kyle Hutton bulldozed his way over to
level the score for Ellon. Ellon 2
Whitecraigs 4
Because
of the large number of players that the home team had available, Ellon
agreed to play them again to give more of their boys a run out.
Ellon scored first with Timmy Badham popping up on the wing to
support Ricky Roy who had made a long run to the corner flag.
Whitecraigs however evened the score soon after. The Ellon boys
had to concentrate hard on their defence as Whitecraigs were continually
breaking away using their fast back line. Only determined tackles by
Calum Redmond and Timmy Badham kept the opposition out until just before
half time when the fresher players scored twice. The
game resumed at the same frantic pace as the first half and despite
their obvious tiredness, the Ellon boys were pressuring the Whitecraigs
line for long periods. Timmy
Badham scored again after the forwards had driven right to the line with
Arron Browne picking and going on a number of occasions to gain 20
metres in a series of drives. Charlie
Mustoe found himself in space on the wing after quick handling along the
line, but his final dive to the line was partially stopped and the ball
knocked away before he could ground it.
Whitecraigs put the game beyond Ellon by scoring twice in the
final minutes as the number of games played took its toll on the boys. Coaches
John McDonald and Phil Copland were fulsome in their praise of the
players. John McDonald
said, ” I was more than pleased with the way the boys performed. The dominance of the forwards was a complete reversal of the
situation last season and is due to sheer hard work and effort on the
training park over the summer.”
Phil Copland agreed, “ We have the basis of a winning side here
as Whitecraigs are a quality side having been unbeaten last season. We
outplayed them in a number of areas, but by correcting a small number of
faults, we can improve to the point where we will be bringing home the
trophies.” Team:
Timmy Badham (Captain), Arron Browne, Danny Copland, Scott Cochrane,
Kyle Hutton, Rory McDonald, Charlie Mustoe, Calum Redmond, Keiron
Rainnie, Ricky Roy, Ben Sim. THE MEADOWS, ELLON, FRIENDLY – September 16, 2001
Two
of Ellon’s mini rugby teams managed a clean sweep against of victories
over two of their toughest rivals on Sunday. The
four mini rugby teams were playing at their home ground, The Meadows,
against the highly-rated Aberdeen Grammar and Stirling County in their
second fixture of the season. Spectators
witnessed some of the best games seen at Ellon at this level outside of
the annual tournament, said ERFC mini section convener Jim Millar.
Ellon was able to thrill many of their supporters without whom
the atmosphere would not have been as tense and dramatic. Ellon 5
Aberdeen Grammar 2
It
was a revamped Ellon side that started the first home fixture of the
season at the Meadows on Sunday. With Alistair Rose available again
after his injury scare, Arran Eley moved into the second row to support
Calum Redmond. Rory McDonald was drafted in as stand off and Kyle Hutton
played for the first time as a winger. Within the first few minutes of
the game against their “auld enemies”, the solid forward line came
into effect and the backs took advantage of the plentiful supply of ball
to run at the bewildered Grammar defence. Ellon went in at half time up
by 4-0 after tries by Eley, Hutton and two by Timmy Badham. Grammar
marshaled their defences in the second half and began to slow the Ellon
play down. Their forwards made it difficult for scrum half Danny Copland
to get the ball out cleanly and the Ellon backs were forced to move
infield to get the ball. The gaps left allowed Grammar to score twice
before Ellon regained their grip with Badham scoring a fine try after a
long, jinking run to the line. Ellon retained control to the end, but
failed to put any more points on the board. Ellon 5
Stirling County 1
Ellon’s
P7s scored a watershed with their first ever victory over Stirling in
this game. Ellon continued
with their solid forward play and waited for the ball from the rucks and
mauls. Stirling were forced
to concede numerous penalties as Ellon forced them into mistakes.
Ellon’s tackling was excellent with Eley and Redmond at second
row mopping up any attempts to get past the
Ellon forwards. Badham scored a hat trick with winger Hutton
scoring twice. A
shocked Stirling managed only one try in reply to the Ellon’s strong
attacking display. Ellon 9
Stirling/Aberdeen Grammar 0
The
two visiting sides agreed to combine forces in the final game of the
day. Ellon forwards gave scrum half Copland plentiful opportunities, and
time, to feed the rampant back line. Training field moves of scissors,
loops and dummies were being brought out in
a clinical display of fast, attacking rugby, left winger Charlie
Mustoe scored twice, and Copland, Arron Browne and Badham got one each
before half time. Ellon
gave no respite in the second half. A spectacular diving pass by Copland
sent Hutton away to score in the corner. With Alistair Gossip replacing
Copland, the Ellon backs continued to split the visitors’ defence.
Replacement hooker Keiron Rainnie found himself in unaccustomed
territory to score after good forward support play. Mustoe delighted the
spectators with his hat trick after Badham created an overlap with his
strong running. Badham
himself had the last word with the final score.
The coaches were delighted with the team’s performance.
Coach Mick Leng said: “The solid forward performance gave us
the platform that’s needed to launch quick attacks on the opposition
line. The boys now realise that what they practise week after week on
the training pitch really can work on the playing field.” Team: Timmy Badham,
Arron Browne, Scott Cochrane, Danny Copland, Arran Eley, Alistair
Gossip, Kyle Hutton, Rory McDonald, Charlie Mustoe, Keiron Rainnie,
Calum Redmond, Alistair Rose.
CURRIE,
EDINBURGH, FRIENDLY – September 23, 2001 Ellon’s
mini rugby players travelled to the heartland of Scottish rugby on
Sunday to given a lesson in the game to some of the country’s best
teams. The squad
returned from the Stewart’s Melville grounds in Edinburgh with enough
wins to prove that they were in the premier league for their age group. After the
series of friendly matches against the cream of the Central Belt, ERFC
mini section convener Jim Millar said, “Once again a little town in
the North-east has proved that we can take on the best that Scotland has
to offer.” He added:
“As always we owe a debt of gratitude to the away supporters who make
a vital difference to the game. Their
cheering stiffens the players’ resolve and shows the coaches that they
are not alone.” Ellon’s
mini rugby players travelled to the heartland of Scottish rugby on
Sunday to given a lesson in the game to some of the country’s best
teams. The squad
returned from the Stewart’s Melville grounds in Edinburgh with enough
wins to prove that they were in the premier league for their age group. After the
series of friendly matches against the cream of the Central Belt, ERFC
mini section convener Jim Millar said, “Once again a little town in
the North-east has proved that we can take on the best that Scotland has
to offer.” He added:
“As always we owe a debt of gratitude to the away supporters who make
a vital difference to the game. Their
cheering stiffens the players’ resolve and shows the coaches that they
are not alone.” Ellon
2 Stewart’s
Melville 1
The first P7 game was a tight
affair with no quarter given by either side. The Ellon team began with
some scrappy play and lacklustre passing and handling. The opposition
harried every attempt to move the ball, leaving little space for Ellon
to move in. Both sets of forwards put on a fine display if rucking and
mauling. The Ellon forwards eventually got the upper hand with Arran
Eley leading the way. Alistair
Rose, Calum Redmond and Arron Browne, all made good individual runs in
support. The backs were rewarded with some good, clean, possession and
eventually Kyle Hutton went over in the corner for a try that was
disallowed. Further spells of excellent possession eventually saw Timmy
Badham rewarded, breaking the opposition defence and gaining a
well-deserved try. The second half saw Stewart’s Melville strike back
and level the score due to poor Ellon defence. The Ellon back division
increased the pressure, taking the game to the opposition. Good runs by
Badham, Charlie Mustoe, Browne and Eley were repeatedly halted by good
Melville defence. Danny Copland was brought on to replace Gossip and to
snipe around the base of the rucks and mauls. This tactic was rewarded
when he took clean ball from the forwards, ran between two opposing
players and score the decisive try of the game. Ellon
2 Stewarts Melville 4
With the second Melville side, the forwards found the
going much harder. Again
with the restriction in room, Danny Copeland jinked through into space
more often, as Ellon fought for space.
Both sides put in
good runs and both teams toughly contested the forward plays.
Arron Browne led the forward charges but eventually Melville
broke through the Ellon defence to score.
Melville lifted their game after this, but the Ellon side put in
some fine tackles, Badham, Browne, Rick Roy, Mustoe and Copland all
putting in some fine defensive work. Eventually Eley broke through the
Melville defence for a fine equalising try. Unfortunately, again due to
poor tackling, Melvile struck back immediately to go in front. The
second half started in the same manner as the first. Again brief lapses
in defence allowed Melvile to score a further two tries. As the game
wore on the Ellon forwards re-established their game and some fine
forward and back movements saw Alistair Gossip cross the line for the
final score of the game. Ellon
3 Linlithgow 0
Ellon’s forwards
presented another fine display with Rose, Redmond and Browne driving the
opposing side back. More
space allowed the backs to move the ball more freely and only good
Linlithgow defence kept them at bay.
Ellon had the majority of play and Linlithgow continued to defend
solidly. Ellon forwards
pressed on with a fine demonstration of support for the backs.
This persistent play worked well allowing the winger, Charlie
Mustoe, to cross the line for the only try of the half.
The second half started with the Ellon team in the ascendancy.
More excellent forward and back play eventually saw Gossip cross the
line for the second score. Linlithgow lifted their game again and only some fine defence
saw Ellon stop some determined attacks.
The Ellon team continued to stick to the task at hand and again a
good forward drive by Browne, Rose and Redmond saw Mustoe cross for his
second, and Ellon’s final, try. Team:
Timmy Badham, Arron Browne, Scott Cochrane, Danny Copland, Arran Eley,
Alistair Gossip, Kyle Hutton, Rory McDonald, Charlie Mustoe, Kieron
Rainnie, Calum Redmond, Alistair Rose, Rick Roy. ABERDEEN
GRAMMAR TOURNAMENT – September 30, 2001 ELLON'S
mini rugby squad are celebrating their first trophies of the season
after lifting two winners' shields at a major tournament in Aberdeen at
the weekend. The
primary five and six teams swept the field at Aberdeen Grammar's
Rubislaw grounds to take their first silverware of the season, while the
primary four and seven squads came runners up in their groups. The
victories marked one of the most successful weekends in the history of
the ERFC mini section, with every player taking home a medal. Stunned
Aberdeen Grammar hosts were left dumbfounded as half of their gleaming
trophies were loaded on to the Ellon coach to make their way to their
new home for at least the next year.
Mini
section convener Jim Millar said the wins cemented Ellon's reputation as
the leading force in rugby across the North-east of Scotland and as one
of the country's top mini rugby sections. "Hopefully
this will be the first of many such triumphs," said Mr Millar.
"The big task now is making sure the boys keep a level head
and maintain the superb standard of rugby we saw on Sunday. "As
usual, the travelling support made the day.
Our supporters were given a feast of sporting skills in return
for letting our boys know their efforts were being cheered on from the
sidelines." Ellon
2 Madras College 4 Ellon
opened the tournament against a very disciplined side who had the knack
of always seeming to have an extra man available to cover or support.
Ellon's strong forward play put their opponents on the back foot
straight away, but in their eagerness to score they allowed gaps to
appear in their back line. Madras made full use of these and despite
heroic chasing by wingers Kyle Hutton and Charlie Mustoe Madras went
into the turn around 2-0 up. The
second half saw Ellon equalise with Arran Eley and Timmy Badham getting
Ellon on the score sheet. Ellon
were unfortunate to have a clearance kick charged down in their
five-metre area for one of the last two Madras scores. Ellon
6 Huntly 0 The
previous result galvanised Ellon into action. Despite a spirited defence
from the lighter Huntly boys, Ellon took a grip on the game from the
start and the rucking play of Scott Cochrane, Alistair Rose and Arron
Browne left their opponents little chance of progressing through the
middle of the field. Rose
scored after supporting a powerful drive from his fellow prop Browne.
Badham popped up again to score and Mustoe's opportunist sprint
to the corner after collecting a Huntly kick finished the scoring for
the first half. Huntly
stuck to their task in the second period, forcing Ellon to work hard for
their three scores by winger Ricky Roy, Rose and scrum half Danny
Copland. Ellon
6 Perthshire 0 Perthshire
are an imposing side with heavy forwards and a fast back line.
However Ellon were on top form by now and the fact that the
heavens had opened failed to daunt the boys.
Ellon proceeded to treat the Perth boys to a display of driving
forward play and incisive running by the back line.
Despite the conditions, Ellon's handling was flawless and only
desperate defending by Perth restricted the Ellon boys to two scores
from Mustoe and Badham in the first half. The floodgates opened in the second half with Rory MacDonald
at stand off getting two quick tries in succession and Eley and Badham
rounding off a fine display with a score each. Ellon
2
Aberdeen Wanderers 1 (Semi final) Ellon
were pitted against a side they know very well. Although the rain had
stopped, conditions underfoot were getting heavier by the minute.
Ellon's attempts to keep the ball with their forwards were
largely frustrated by a very opportunist Wanderers pack.
Ellon eventually forced their way through on the flank with
Badham twisting his way to the line. The cheering had barely stopped when, straight from the
restart, Wanderers centre drove through the Ellon formation to the line.
The play settled down to a dour struggle with Ellon trying to
build moves from the forwards while defending against a very
unpredictable Wanderers back line.
The second half saw Ellon score from another piece of Badham
magic as he followed up a long run by Browne to the corner and then
wrong-footed two players to glide over for the final score. Ellon
0 Madras College 4
(Final) With
their play had improving through the day, Ellon might have been forgiven
for thinking that they stood a good chance of beating their first round
opponents. Ellon dominated
the forward play, but could never find any space to run against the
well-drilled Madras defence. As
in the first game, Madras absorbed all the Ellon pressure and
methodically began to carve out openings with their fast back line. Two
scores before half-time showed the Ellon boys what they were up against.
The second half continued as the first with Ellon becoming more
frustrated, and desperate, as all their possession foundered on the wall
of the Madras defence. Ellon
continued to run and harry, but Madras settled the tie with two more
scores to run out worthy winners. Coach
Phil Copland said, “ I was most impressed by the boys' performance.
After a shaky start they went from strength to strength. The
players are knitting together and I am sure that this wont be the last
final we contest this season.” Team:
Timmy Badham, Arron Browne, Scott Cochrane, Danny Copland, Arran Eley,
Kyle Hutton, Rory McDonald, Charlie Mustoe, Kieron Rainnie, Callum
Redmond, Alistair Rose, Ricky Roy. GLASGOW
ACADEMICALS TOURNAMENT – October 7, 200 Ellon’s
youngest rugby team brought home silver medals at the weekend after
taking on some of the best teams in Scotland at a major tournament in
Glasgow on Sunday. Television
presenter and comedian Fred Macauley presented the medals to Ellon’s
primary four team after they made it to the final of the Glasgow
Academicals tournament. Ellon’s
P5 were knocked out in the semi-finals after playing through their pool
group one man down, while the primary six and seven teams performed with
distinction. ERFC
mini section convener Jim Millar said the teams had again showed they
were competing in the top league of Scottish mini rugby. “Ellon
is now a major force in Scottish rugby thanks to the efforts of these
kids who turn out to play week after week and the parents and supporters
who cheer them on,” said Mr Millar. Ellon
0 North Berwick 4 The
unavailability of some key players due to the October school holidays
meant that a revamped Ellon team took the field with some players in
unfamiliar positions. The
P7s’ first game was against the eventual winners of the P7 section,
North Berwick. The Ellon
team took time to get over the long bus journey and ineffectual tackling
allowed the opposition to run through them almost at will to run up a
score of 4-0 at half time. The second half was far more evenly balanced
as the Ellon boys worked hard to contest every loose ball. Both sets of
forwards put on a fine display of rucking and mauling with neither team
able to gain the upper hand. Good individual runs from Alistair Rose,
Arron Browne and Scott Cochrane made
inroads into the Berwick half. The
Ellon back division were unable to capitalise due to the determined
defence of Berwick. Likewise Berwick were unable to gain any advantage
due to Ellon’s sprited defence. There was no further scoring in the
game and Ellon was left to rue the poor defensive performance in the
first half. Man of the
match was Alistair Rose with his powerful forward play. Ellon
2 Whitecraigs 0 Whitecraigs
had soundly beaten Ellon in their last encounter. Initially this was a close fought encounter as the teams were
very evenly matched and neither seemed able to gain an advantage. The
Ellon forwards then began to dominate the game and the backs were
rewarded with some good, clean, possession and only resolute defence by
Whitecraigs prevented them taking the lead. As the first half drew to a
close Ellon took the lead following good interplay between Kyle Hutton,
Charlie Mustoe and Callum Redmond and from the resultant ruck Danny
Copland crossed the line for a fine try.
The second half continued as the first had finished, but with
Ellon unable to convert their dominance into scores.
In the closing stages of the game, a sniping run from the base of
a ruck following a good run by Rainnie saw Copland increase Ellon’s
lead. Whitecraigs tried to force their way back into the game, but
aggressive defence from the Ellon boys kept them at bay.
Man of the match for Ellon was Danny Copland with his two fine
tries. Ellon
0 Dumfries 4 The
result from the previous games meant that Ellon had to win this game to
progress from their pool group. The
match was much more evenly contested than the scoreline would suggest.
Defensive lapses again cost the Ellon boys dear as they turned
around at half time two ties down.
In the second half both sides fought to gain the upper hand, but
as both sets of forwards were evenly matched, neither back rows could
obtain clean ball from their forwards. Fine defensive work by Browne and Rory McDonald helped keep
Dumfries at bay, but Ellon were unable to break down a dogged Dumfries
defense. Momentary
defensive lapses by the Ellon lads allowed Dumfries to score two further
tries before the final whistle. Man
of the match was Rory McDonald for his aggressive forward runs and
determined tackling. Ellon’s
man of the tournament was Alistair Rose for his strong forward play
throughout. Coach John
McDonald said the boys had played well despite the results.
“At the end of the day, they can be proud of their
performances,” he added. Team:
Arron Browne, Scott Cochrane, Danny Copland, Arran Eley, Kyle Hutton,
Rory McDonald, Charlie Mustoe, Kieron Rainnie, Callum Redmond, Alistair
Rose. MUSSELBURGH After
a three-week rest, Ellon RFC Mini section once again headed south in
search of competition, this time to Musselburgh a club that we forged
links with last season. This
particular friendly was always going to be tough with teams such as
Stewart Melville, Selkirk and Musselburgh all looking to show Ellon how
rugby is played south of the Highland line. But as always, Ellon enjoys
a challenge - an attitude that has often in the recent past brought
victory out of defeat. Yet
again we must thank our long suffering supporters who continue to find
themselves having to make that long drive south to watch us. Believe me
it does make a difference to see friendly faces on the touchline
shouting support. It was a re-organised P7 team
who started the first game against Stewart Melville as a number of
regular team members were not available. Last time the teams met the
honours were evenly matched with a game apiece so it promised to be a
hard fought affair. Ellon took the game to their
opponents from the start and winger Alastair Gossip found himself in
space early on but was brought down, as a score seemed on the cards. The
Ellon front line of Scott Cochrane, Arron Browne and Kyle Adalsteinsson
had their work cut out in holding a well-organised Stewart Melville’s
pack. The game see-sawed through the first half with neither side
finding much room to create clear running chances but it was an
individual darting run from the opposing scrum half that sent the teams
into the turn around with Stewart Melville one try up. Ellon replied almost immediately
from the restart with Arran Eley scoring after a slick passing move
along the back line. Stewart Melville however had the bit between their
teeth and set about running at the Ellon defence at every opportunity.
Ellon still had a lot of possession but never seemed to make any ground
forward due to the effective tackling of their opponents. Stewart
Melville began to pick holes as the Ellon defence was stretched and
despite fierce tackling by Calum Redmond and Ricky Roy, playing at
centre for the first time, they eased their way to the final whistle
putting over three scores. Ellon’s next game was against
their hosts. Scrum half Danny Copland and winger Alastair Gossip swapped
positions to add some variety to the Ellon game. Fielding some
unfeasibly large players Musselburgh immediately put the Ellon line
under pressure. The larger forwards were winning almost every loose ball
and were bundling the lighter Ellon boys back at every ruck and maul.
Despite this Ellon were able to create a number of excellent chances
with Gossip almost getting clear a number of times and Copland
unfortunately putting a foot in touch just as scoring seemed to be a
certainty. Ellon were passing the ball well but Musselburgh were
allowing them no space to run. The home team eventually broke the
deadlock to go in one score up at half time. Ellon seemed to have given
their all in the first half defending against the larger side and
gradually Musselburgh wore them down. Adalsteinsson, making his first
appearance for the side, made some telling tackles as the game went on.
However the quality of the opposition support play was too good for the
Ellon boys and Musselburgh eventually put in another four scores before
the final whistle. With Scott Cochrane and Alastair
Gossip both sidelined by neck injuries for this game, Musselburgh very
generously loaned the Ellon team two forward players as no Ellon
substitutes were available. The pattern of the earlier game was repeated
straight away with Selkirk pressurising the Ellon boys and turning over
any loose ball. Ellon were being continually forced backwards by the
heavier Selkirk players and were forced to attack from very flat
allowing the boys no time to gain any speed before they reached the
opposition defence. Charlie Mustoe had a torrid time on the wing trying
to cope with the speed of the Selkirk attack. Selkirk began to pile on
the scores as Ellon struggled to hold them. Few scoring opportunities
presented themselves for the Ellon boys but Calum Redmond managed to
squeeze over for Ellon’s only try of the half. Selkirk were however
scoring at will and put 5 scores in before half time. Ellon came out for the second
period determined to show that they weren’t a pushover. The game
settled into a hard physical contest as Ellon redoubled their efforts to
hold the Selkirk pack and managed to stem the goal flow to a great
extent. Powerful defensive kicking by Kyle Hutton cleared the danger
from the Ellon line on a number of occasions and restricted Selkirk to
only two more ties before the final whistle. Second row forward Calum Redmond
was selected as Ellon player of the tournament for his efforts at
stalling the heavy opposition forwards. Calum was usually first into
every maul or ruck but the sheer size of the opposition made his job
very difficult throughout the games. Coach Phil Copland said “ This
was probably the hardest tournament, physically, that the P7 team has
ever taken part in. It was unfortunate that the full squad was not
available. The players, particularly those in new positions, put in a
power of work. Although the defeats were heavy in the last two games,
the Ellon boys deserve credit for showing great character in persevering
in the final game to restrict the score after what must have been a
demoralising first half.” P7 Team from: Kyle Adalsteinsson
, Arron Browne, Danny
Copland, Scott Cochrane, Arran Ely
HOWE OF FIFE TOURNAMENT
After
an unexpected break from competitive rugby, Ellon RFC Mini Section found
itself once again south bound. This time the trip to Cupar in Fife was a
relatively short one for the section; some would say it’s almost next
door compared to the usual runs we make.
But
the trip proved worthwhile, with the Primary 5 team taking the Runner Up
placing in their category and the other teams putting up a fine show
against some strong teams from central Scotland.
“The
Primary 5 team well deserved their placing and the other teams all put
in some commendable performances,” said Convener Jim Millar.
“As
always, our faithful supporters were right behind us, literally in this
case, in a convoy of cars which followed the bus down to give us the
much-needed moral support that we have come to rely on. Again, a big
thank you to you all who support us as it is much appreciated.” Ellon’s first game was against a very well
organised Stewart’s Melville side. Once again, it appeared that the Ellon boys took
some time to get over the long bus journey and ineffectual tackling
allowed the opposition to run through them almost at will to run up a
score of 3 tries to nil at half time. The second half was more evenly balanced as the
Ellon boys worked hard to contest every loose ball with the well-drilled
Edinburgh side. Both sets of forwards put on a fine display of rucking
and mauling however the Stewart’s Melville forwards began to gain the
upper hand with their aggressive forward play as the match drew to a
close. Good individual runs from Alistair Rose, Arron Brown and Arran
Eley made inroads into the opposition half. The Ellon Back division were
unable to capitalise on this due to determined defence by the Edinburgh
team and Stewart’s Melville ran in a further two tries before full
time to complete the scoring.
Ellon
3 Perthshire 8
In
the next game Ellon made some positional changes and these took some
time to bed in. Ineffectual tackling again was a problem for Ellon and
they conceded four soft tries to the Perthshire side in the first half.
Kyle Hutton pulled one back for Ellon following a strong run and the
first half scoring was completed when good support play by Rose saw him
score when Danny Copland was held up near the line.
In
the second half, Ellon managed one further try scored by Hutton before
the Perth boys stepped up a gear and ran in four further before the
final whistle. The first half of this match was very keenly
contested with Howe Of Fife taking the lead by four tries to two. The
first of Ellon’s tries was scored by
Alasdair Gossip following a fine sniping run from the base of a
scrum. Rory McDonald then
crossed the line to complete the scoring in the half following fine
interplay with Hutton. In the second half the well organised Cupar lads
upped the pace and gave the Ellon boys a lesson in slick passing to run
in a further four tries. Ellon scored a further try when Hutton to
complete the scoring.
Ellon
11 Madras 2
The
Ellon boys were too strong for an under strength Madras team which
seemed to be missing some of its first choice players.
Ellon
scored almost at will in this game with Copland opening the scoring with
two tries in quick succession, Hutton, Gossip and Browne completed the
scoring for Ellon in the first half with Madras scoring one try in
reply.
The
second half continued in the same vein as Charlie Mustoe opened the
scoring before Gossip scored twice to complete his hat trick. Mustoe
crossed the line again before Copland scored to complete his hat trick.
A try for Madras was followed by another try by Browne to complete the
scoring in the game.
Ellon
1 Dunfermline 4
These
two teams were evenly matched but poor tackling again cost Ellon dear as
they allowed Dunfermline to run in two soft tries without reply in the
first half. At the start of the second half Rose pulled back a score for
Ellon, however inattention at the restart presented Dunfermline with an
easy opportunity to increase their lead. The rest of the half was keenly
contested before Dunfermline pressure forced an error from the Ellon
boys in the middle of the field allowing the alert Dunfermline centre to
score a fine interception try to complete the scoring.
Team:
Arron Browne, Arran Eley, Danny Copland, Michael Simpson, Alistair Rose,
Kyle Hutton, Charlie Mustoe, Scott Cochrane, Kyle Adalsteinsson,
Alasdair Gossip, John McLean, Rory McDonald. ELLON MINI RUGBY CLUB TOURNAMENT MEADOWS SPORTS CENTRE
SUNDAY, MARCH 10 HUNDREDS of young rugby players
- and their coaches and supporters - braved Sunday’s sleet and chilly
temperatures to take part in the Ellon Mini Rugby Club Tournament at the
Meadows Sports Centre. Teams from all over Scotland
travelled to the event to compete in the tournament which proved a
triumph for Ellon’s Primary 5 team who lifted the winner’s trophy
after an outstanding final against Forresters from Edinburgh in a game
which came right down to the wire in a sudden death playoff. The Ellon Primary 4 team picked
up the Mary Christiansen Trophy for best runner-up home team. “Although the poor weather
prevented two clubs from making the trip to Ellon, the actual
competition and standard of play was the best I have seen with the best
of Scotland’s clubs battling it out for trophies,” said Club
Convener Jim Millar. Ellon 0
West of Scotland 2 A bright but blustery day saw
Ellon turn out for their first home game in almost three months. Both
sides displayed a real appetite for the game in the first few minutes
but Ellon’s lack of practice showed as they struggled to keep West in
check. Determined work by the Ellon
forwards Ali Rose, Scott Cochrane and Arran Browne held the West boys at
bay until just on half time when a determined West break saw them open
the scoring. Ellon came out for the second
period showing much more aggression and hard tackling from Kyle Hutton
and Rory McDonald rocked the West side. Wingers Kyle Adalsteinsson and
Ricky Roy found themselves with a little more space to run but the West
defence just managed to stop them as they seemed to be in the clear. The
Ellon pressure was not to be rewarded and West took advantage of space
left by an over-eager Ellon back line to slip in the final try of the
game. Ellon 3
Garioch 0 The first few minutes of the
game saw messy play from both sides as they tried to break the deadlock.
It took an excellent solo effort from Danny Copland, who having seen a
gap, outpaced three Garioch players to run the length of the field to
score in the corner. This try settled the Ellon side and they began to
apply pressure on the Garioch pack. The Ellon close support was by now
very well organised with second row forwards Calum Redmond and Arran
Eley linking well with the backs to keep the ball moving forward through
a tenacious Garioch defence. Standoff McDonald used this platform to
drive over from short range to complete the scoring for the first half. More of the same was the orders
for the second half from the Ellon coaches. With Hooker John McLean and
scrum half Alastair Gossip on as replacements the Ellon game strategy
changed slightly as Copland was moved out to centre to replace Hutton
who had gone to the wing. This
allowed Ellon more width but Garioch had raised their game and were
threatening the Ellon line as they used their quick wingers to
advantage. A long drive by the Ellon forwards eventually saw Rose go
over for the final try of the game. Ellon 0
Musselburgh 4 Musselburgh took the game to
Ellon right from the start. Before Ellon could settle, their opponents
had taken the first score by way of a good back row move which outpaced
the Ellon defence. Ellon regrouped and gained in confidence as they
matched the strength of the Musselburgh pack.
Ellon had a few chances to break as Copland and McDonald tried to
thread their way through the opposition ranks. However Ellon’s defence
was being stretched and Musselburgh’s winger, having threatened on a
number of occasions, eventually got clear to score. It was the
Musselburgh forwards who did the damage for the next score as their very
large pack, for the first time, broke through Ellon lines to score just
on half time. A rousing half time talk saw
Ellon step up a gear and pressurise the opposition right from the start.
The Ellon tackling was positive with McDonald and Hutton leading by
example as Ellon pinned Musselburgh into their own half for long
periods. The Ellon boys were linking well but space was always tight and
the ball handling although good was never quite crisp enough for the
Ellon boys to find space. Opportunist runs by Eley and the two wingers
troubled Musselburgh but weren’t direct enough to get through. Again
with Ellon pressing so hard they left a gap which the Musselburgh winger
exploited for the last score of the game. P7 Team: Kyle Adalsteinsson,
Arran Browne, Danny Copland, Scott Cochrane, Arran Eley (Captain),
Alastair Gossip, Kyle Hutton, Rory McDonald, John McLean, Calum Redmond,
Alistair Rose, Ricky Roy.
Ellon Mini Rugby Club’s
Primary 4 to 7 teams travelled to Edinburgh at the weekend to take part
in the Forresters tournament. Balmy,
sunny weather made it a good day our for players and spectators alike.
Ellon’s Primary 4 and 5 teams just missed out on the medals by taking
third place in their respective categories. Primary 7 Livingston (B) 0 Ellon 7 The first game of the day was
against a determined Livingston side. Ellon commenced well converting
their training into good tactical moves, requiring Livingston tackles to
keep Ellon at bay. Within
the first minutes of the game, the forwards, lead by Ali Rose, Calum
Redmond and Arran Eley, regained the ball from a good rucking move,
delivered it to Rory McDonald and the final pass to Richard Roy saw him
cross the line for the first score. Livingston re-started but fine
tackling from Scott Cochrane and Redmond halted the move. Ellon moved
the ball from the forwards to the backs and when McDonald received the
ball from Roy, he completed a fine solo run to cross the line for
Ellon’s second try. The final try of the half came from Danny Copland
following good play between the backs and forwards, who saw him score
after picking up from a maul. Livingston restarted the second
half looking more determined. They ran the ball at Ellon but the
superior forward strength saw these moves halted. The Ellon pack set-up
clean ball for the backs, which was moved quickly and Roy took the
chance to score an opportunist try. Ellon struck again; Redmond, Rose,
Eley and Kyle Hutton moved the ball into the Livingston half and the
Ellon forwards, again with well rucked ball, released Kyle Adalsteinsson
across the try line for a well deserved score. Livingston now had no
reply, John McLean, Rose, Redmond and Cochrane cleared all out of their
way. Eventually, following a good interception from Rose, Kyle Hutton
crossed the try line for another score. The final try came from another
good Roy move, adding his third and Ellon's final score and capping a
fine display of Rugby from this winger. Linlithgow 0 Ellon 6 Ellon followed on into this game
with the aggressive rugby displayed in the previous match. Again the
team tackled solidly and the Ellon pack turned over good ball. The backs
took these opportunities and ran at the opposition, making Linlithgow
tackle well. Ellon continued to press the opposition and they began to
make mistakes. Rose and Redmond won a loose ball, which Copland
collected and passed the ball quickly to the backs. Ricky Roy collected
this ball and raced to the line, out pacing the opposition, to score the
first try of the game. The Ellon side began to over power the opposition
and this culminated in Rose forcing his way over the line, scoring the
last try of this half. The second half kicked off and
Ellon forwards harried the opposition at every opportunity. Rose,
Cochrane and Redmond dominated the Linlithgow pack. At every scrum the
hooker, McLean, recovered the ball giving solidly scrumaged possession.
This solid forward performance set the backs away and they began to
break through gaps in the oppositions defence. This performance set-up
Roy, Rose and Copland for three good tries. The final try of the game
came when Rose drove off two Linlithgow forwards, from a loose ball,
leaving Copland to collect the ball. This was passed to McDonald who set
Hutton away, breaking the central defence for a well worked try. Currie 5 Ellon 0 Following the withdrawal of
Livingston from the group, Ellon played three games on the trot. Currie
immediately took the game to Ellon, their quicker players proved
troublesome for the Ellon team. Fortune kept then at bay when twice
their wingers ran into touch. Currie continued to pressure Ellon and
eventually poor tackling saw their first try. Ellon continued to hold
Currie at bay but they were beginning to look tired. Currie continued to
run at Ellon and would have scored more if it had not been for the
determined defence of McDonald, Redmond and Adalsteinsson, the latter
putting on a fine defensive display. This did not stop the second score
before half time. Currie started the second half
as they finished the first. Ellon tried heartily to stop this onslaught.
Ellon mistakes were taken full advantage of and Currie added further
tries in the second half. At 4 scores down Ellon stuck to their task and
slowed all further Currie runs. Every chance saw Currie attack the Ellon
flanks but a gutsy tackling display by Adalsteinsson saw them thwarted
at every run. The game finished when Currie switched their attack to the
central defence, adding the final score to the game. Livingston (A) 3 Ellon 4 Following the defeat by Currie,
Ellon found themselves in a third place play off game against
Livingston’s first choice P7 team. Ellon approached the game as with
others and began with another good performance by the forwards. Redmond
and Cochrane lead this forwards display, setting up steady ball for
Copland to feed to the backs. Ellon struck first when McDonald supported
a good run by Hutton, to beat two players and go over for the first
score of the tie. Livingston increased the pressure on Ellon and this
took the side by surprise. Ellon now started to make mistakes and began
throwing the ball carelessly around. This gave the opposition
opportunities to run at the Ellon side and soon they equalised the
score. Ellon began the second half with
the fire they had displayed for much of the tournament. Redmond again
drove players from the ball, displaying play in excess of his years.
Cochrane took take ball from the oppositions maul, presenting this to
Copland and allowing the backs to attack Livingston. This resulted in
McDonald crossing for his, and Ellon’s, second score of the game.
Livingston struck from the re-start when Ellon were slow to re-form,
running in for an uncontested try. Ellon now looked poor and Livingston
quickly took advantage to score their third try. Ellon re-grouped and
eventually McDonald went over for the third Ellon try. Ellon now stepped
up the pressure with only a few minutes of the game left. Ellon attacked
the oppositions line and Adalsteinsson went over the line, but the ref
was unsure of the balls grounding as it was a mass of players. The Ellon
side was awarded a 5-meter scrum, which they won, allowing Copland to
set McDonald away for the winning score. Coaches Mick Leng and John
McDonald congratulated the team on a much improved display of rugby. The
team played well but mistakes caused an unnecessary defeat. Primary 7 team: Kyle
Adelsteinsson, Scott Cochrane, Danny Copland, Arran Eley, Kyle Hutton,
Rory McDonald, John McLean, Calum Redmond, Alistair Rose, Richard Roy. With the success of the 1ST XV
in the BT Cellnet Bowl the Mini Section had high hopes for last
Sunday’s Stirling Mini Rugby Club Tournament. This event is always a
highlight of our season with only the best teams in Scotland competing
for the trophies. The Ellon teams supporters also had high hopes with
the largest contingent this season heading south to cheer on the
players, and again I must thank theses diehards for making the trip
south. Ellon 0 Dumfries 4 A bright day saw Ellon turn out
for the prestigious Stirling home tournament. Dumfries immediately
showed Ellon that they meant business by forcing them back into their
own half with strong driving runs that Ellon found difficult to counter.
Ellon’s wingers Ricky Roy and Kyle Adalsteinsson were continually
under pressure as Dumfries used their mid field dominance to set their
backs free. The pressure on Ellon in the first half told as Dumfries ran
through to score twice before the interval. The second half continued as
the first had ended with Ellon’s lack of commitment and drive allowing
Dumfries to run at them. Sniping runs from scrum half Ali Gossip
foundered due to the lack of Ellon support and Dumfries scored twice
more to run out easy winners. Ellon
0 Stirling County 6 Having been beaten by a cricket
score the last time they met, Stirling had a score to settle. The first few minutes of the game saw messy play from both
sides as they tried to break the deadlock. Stirling inexorably gained
the upper hand and began to run in scores at will as forwards John
McLean, Arran Browne and Ali
Rose struggled to win loose ball. Stirling went in to the interval 3
scores ahead. With their confidence high Stirling continued their
dominance of the game. Continually under pressure Ellon found difficulty
in breaking out and had an attempted kick out charged down on their line
by the rampant Stirling back line for the first score. Ellon’s game
was in disarray as simple passes were dropped and tackles missed. Calum
Redmond was one of the few Ellon players to come out of this encounter
with any pride as he ploughed a lone furrow in trying to slow down the
Stirling attack who managed 2 more scores before the final whistle blew. Ellon 0
Stewarts Melville 7 As soon as the whistle sounded
Ellon found themselves on the rack again. Desperate defence from Ellon
left big gaps out wide that Stewarts Melville gratefully exploited.
Scores were coming from all areas of the pitch as their opponents opened
Ellon up time after time. Only stout defence and some poor handling from
Stewarts Melville’s back line restricted the score to 4 at half time.
After a roasting from their coaches the Ellon boys began to use their
speed and bulk to advantage, beginning to win their share of the loose
ball and getting the ball out to Danny Copland on the wing. Ellon
stepped their game up a notch with Arran Eley making runs through the
centre. However Ellon didn’t seem to have the drive and self- belief
to really upset their opponents. Stewarts Melville weathered the storm
and began to reapply the pressure. Ineffective tackling let in two tries
in quick succession and the third was a classic back line move with
players looping and supporting to give the overlap. Coach Phil. Copland said ì This
was by far the teams worst performance of the season. Ellon’s lack of
commitment and drive meant that they didn’t put any of their opponents
under pressure. This makes it very hard to play these teams. They are
used to close, hard physical games week in week out and the scorelines
in no way flattered them “It’s difficult to take
anything positive out of the tournament other than the fact that one or
two players did maintain a high work rate as the games fell apart around
them. At least we now know those in the squad who will give their all
for the team regardless of how hard it gets.” P7 Team from: Kyle Adalsteinsson,
Arran Browne, Danny Copland, Scott Cochrane, Arran Eley (Captain),
Alastair Gossip, Kyle Hutton, Rory McDonald, John McLean, Calum Redmond,
Alistair Rose, Ricky Roy |