Fast flying Eagles flatten Hillhead

Nov 14 2008 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

Perthshire 24

Hillhead/Jordanhill16

THIS was a simply awesome display. High flying Hillhead came to Perth expecting easy pickings on Saturday but had to be content with the few scraps the mighty Eagles fed them.

Shire's forwards, especially the back row of Knox, Coull and Mackinnon were in tremendous form.

Shire started at a furious pace and within five minutes James Fleming managed to wriggle through an impossible gap for the opening try.

The Shire back row, aided by Pattinson and Moffat, took the ball deep into the Hilhead 22 and Ross Browne finished off the move in style converted by Fleming to give Shire an early 12-0 lead.

It took Hillhead half an hour to score when Twaddle kicked a couple of penalties.

Early in the second-half, Jimmy Whyte and Neil Drummond tore up the park like young centres. They fought their way deep into Hillhead territory and with the help of the rest of the pack, produced good ball for the backs to run and Matt Smith hit the ball on the angle and ripped straight through the defence for Shire's third try, which Fleming converted.

Hillhead tried everything to get back into the game but the first up tackling from all of the Eagles was thwarting their efforts.

Hillhead were finding space with some tantalising kicks towards the touchline keeping Shire on the back foot but Fleming, Assenti, Ridgeway and Smith pounced on any mistakes and their fleet footed running caused no end of trouble to the visitors.

The referee did Shire no favours as the penalty count mounted up against them and Twaddle again kept Hillhead in the game with a fine conversion.

At 19-9, nerves were stretched all around and it was clear that the next score would be decisive.

A magnificent counter attack saw Matt Smith break away and kick the ball through for the flying Fleming to latch on to and the full-back had to use every ounce of his acceleration to score the try for the bonus point.

This was a truly magnificent victory against a very good side who played in Premier 2 last season and hope to go back there at the end of this one.

They did manage a consolation try near the end but the day belonged to Perthshire's 19- man squad who signalled to Scottish Rugby that they are now back on track and will be a force to be reckoned with once again this season.

The day was marred, however, with an injury to the prolific try-scorer Matt Smith and although he has not broken any bones, he could be out of action for a few weeks.

The 1sts have no game next week but the 2nds entertain Edinburgh University at the North Inch. Kick off 12.30pm.

Star Ratings

Callum Mackinnon 3 (sponsored by I&H Brown); Stevie Knox 2; Garry Coull 1 (sponsored by Meldrum Construction, Perth, Ltd).