Peeblesshire News | Sport | Evergreen keen leaves wanderers blown away

Thursday, 4th December, 2008

Published: Friday, 24th November, 2006 12:55

Evergreen keen leaves wanderers blown away

A brace of tries by the influential Trevor Keen plus single counters from Adam Clark, Reece Hamer and Duncan MacDonald helped Peebles to an ultimately well-merited victory over their visitors from the Capital.

But the eventual outcome seemed an unlikely one when the teams went into the break locked at 8 points all.

Said Duncan MacDonald (top scorer this season with 9 premiership tries and 3 in the Border League), “After the team’s admission of a very poor first-half performance, we got the rollicking we needed at halftime. We picked ourselves up and played some good rugby after that.”

“It was interesting playing against Wanderers as I played two yeard with them and still have a lot of friends there,” added the strong-running centre. “But both Ross (MacNish) and myself are chuffed we came down to The Gytes. We’re enjoying every aspect of it hugely.”

“As to where Peebles will finish in the league table this season, it’s still a long way ahead. We just have to keep winning each game as it comes. For example, today’s victory means that we’ve won four of our last six games.”

Duncan went on, “Teams beating each other can be great for us in the table, but of course we have to start beating the top teams to really make progress.”

Despite sound home defence in which Fahey, Borthwick and Rodger caught the eye, the city men cashed in on their early monopoly of possession with a 5th-minute MacWilliam penalty.

And although Peebles went on to dominate the next ten minutes, no points resulted as McKinnon lost possession near the line from driven line-out ball before skipper Clark’s blindside foray also failed to yield fruit.

Next, a grubber down the right touchline by No 9 Hamer – the most dangerous back afield – almost put Thomson in at the corner prior to that “jolly good fellow” Fahey being foiled on the line.

In contrast, the visitors went downfield and scored straightaway with worrying ease as a Crolla try put them 8-0 up after 20 minutes.

Though a Borthwick penalty put home points on the board soon after, the customary “Kamikaze” moment followed in which Peebles lost possession as they tries to run the ball from within their own 22 – play guaranteed to generate cardiac twinges among the more senior of the Gytes faithful.

Indeed, in spite of visitors’ attacks which were repulsed by a couple of mammoth Borthwick clearances, it was the Gytes men who scored next when Keen exploited Hamer’s brilliant blindside trickery by squeezing over at the left corner flag to level the scores at 8-all.

This pivotal moment in Peebles’ revival was followed by Glasgow whistler Ed Crozier’s halftime blast.

If home flanker Smellie’s snaffle of enemy ball was one early second-half feature – so to was his opposite number Adams’ sinbinning for a late tackle on full back Hogarth ( who showed commendable calm throughout).

With the Gytes men now on the front foot, the increasingly prominent Harvey’s line-out win was a prelude to a D.A. Anderson dash down the opposite flank.

Then, from MacNish’s touchline provision following D.W. Anderson’s penalty touch, a superbly co-ordinated drive by the Peebles pack in which Clark the Elder played no small part culminated in Skipper A. Clark diving over after 50 minutes.

And when a second Keen score followed five minutes later to put Peebles 18-8 ahead, match announcer Lomas made an accidentally apt reference to the “Evergreen Keen” (whose sale of Christmas trees at this time of year is an important part of the player’s business!)

Next, to the delight of his parents in the Gytes gallery, Hamer raced over for a superb solo try in 63 minutes, Borthwick converting.

Following excellent link play from a line-out by McNish, Whelan and Harvey, the Peebles’ scrum half’s break played a significant part in MacDonald’s 68th-minute touchdown at the left corner.

And although a consolation counter by Wanderers’ second-row Riding completed the scoring, the final act was a punishing Brown breenge in support of yet another break by – yes, you guessed it – that man Hamer.

PEEBLES : N. Hogarth, M. Thomson, D. MacDonald and C. Borthwick, D.A. Anderson (K. Nisbet 66), D.W. Anderson and R Hamer; A. Clark (captain), G. McKinnon (T. Keen 30), N. Clark (G. McKinnon 63), D. Harvey and R. McNish, S. Smellie (A. Brown 63), O. Fahey, I Rodger (P. Whelan 56).

Evergreen Keen leaves Wands wilting

Peebles 30 Murrayfield Wanderers 18

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