Perthshire pile on the pain for Morgan

Apr 1 2011 by Iain Howie, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

MORGAN visited the North Inch on day when a win for either team would ease their relegation fears.

Perthshire started briskly and eased any nerves with an early penalty well slotted by Steel.

But the Dundee side were not in Perth for the fresh air and looked dangerous on the break although counter attacking and quick thinking from Elder saw an easy three-pointer turned into a try by Anderson.

The Steel conversion attempt hit the post for his only miss of the afternoon.

A quick opportunity to gain further points from Steels boot was taken with an excellent penalty.

At 11-0 Morgan raised their game and a well-worked move saw Crookston score and close the gap to six points.

Morgan again raised their game and crossed the Perthshire line on three further occasions only to drop the ball and fail to score, the most bizarre of these was from their winger who was over and clear for the ball only to spring out of his hands like a wet bar of soap.

Perthshire were riding their luck but their was nothing lucky about the next score when the ever-electric Elder spurned an easy three pointer to dash in under the sticks and to rub salt into a smarting Morgan, the extras were added by Steel.

Morgan won a penalty 15m out in front of the posts and while the score board was being marked up the kicker hooked it wide so the scoreboard was changed back.

Perthshire were making everything count and good midfield play saw Ross Angus charge in to pile on the agony for Morgan with Steel showing his opposite number how to split the posts – a lesson well-received as shortly after the Morgan kicker found his boots to close the half Perthshire 25 Morgan 8.

Morgan started the second half in top gear Cookston added another try with their kicker forgetting his first half lesson he again failed to add the extra points.

The Morgan pack were starting to get the upper hand which saw the introduction of “Big Al” for Whyte to the front row. But before Whyte could get his sub kit on Falconer was yellow carded.

Down to 14 men Morgan came hard at Shire and were rewarded by a Clark score again not converted by they wayward kicker to close the gap to Perthshire 25 Morgan 18.

Shire’s Ross Angus tramped in under the posts with Steel slotting the additional two points.

Two yellow cards for Morgan saw them down to 13 and facing no way back.

Just to make sure it was a result they would not forget O’Connor ran in from 35 meters through four tackles with time to wave to his mum in the crowd.

Steel duly added the extras to close the game at 42-18 to the Shire.

Morgan and Perthshire swapped places in the league with the relegation trap door now creaking for the endangered bottom six.