Walkerburn in seventh heaven

Published 25 Sep 2009 13:00 0 Comments

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Trying times at the 'Burn

Walkerburn 24 v 18 Royal Dick Veterinary College

JUST as in the recent clash with Leith, the second twenty minutes at Caberston on Saturday looked likely to cause Walkerburn's downfall against the Royal Dick Vet College, as the spell yielded 3 tries for the students.

Not so! In contrast to the Leith game, the final quarter-of-an-hour saw an increasingly dominant home outfit romp to victory by adding counters from Simon Currie, Keith McCudden and Mark Henderson to a first-half penalty try.

Two conversions by the outstanding Liam Golder completed the scoring for Caberston's Finest.

Said backs coach, a well-chuffed Colin Kerr, "We've got self-belief among the team on the park now - you saw the way we came good against R.D.V.C in the last twenty minutes."

"It's because we're a much fitter team now than we were last season. I'm very pleased with the performance.

Added fellow coach Iain Watson, "It's great to get such a good win on the board before Saturday's trip to Gala YM."

An early home attack saw vice-captain D. Johnston feed Henderson whose pass to the speeding Bisland brought 'Burn a penalty try award as the No 11 was late tackled. Golder goaled for a 7-0 lead.

The students' immediate reply was a neat drop-goal by their fly half.

Liam Goulder then put in a superb corner flag tackle, but R.D.V.C. scored again through winger Rodgers' try which edged them 8-7 in front.

With Elder on for Little, Fresle was forced to carry over, the upshot being a Prentice try which increased the visitors lead to 13-7 in 32 minutes.

Worse followed for the homesters as a second Rodgers try preceded referee Tommy Heard of Jed's half time blast with the students now 18-7 ahead.

With Aitken and Little on for Fresle and Waldie respectively, 'Burn withstood enemy pressure thanks to sound defence by McIntosh, Henderson, Horsley, Gilchrist and M. Carter, not to mention a thumping Currie tackle!

Fresle and van Rooyen having replaced C. McCudden and Bisland, the buildup to skipper Currie's 65th-minute score saw not only No 3 Johnston in high profile mode but also the agile Aitken taking passes off his toes one moment and above his head the next.

With Matt Carter off and his debutant brother David on (one of no less than three sets of brothers in Walkerburn colours on Saturday) and the Caberston men waxing ever stronger, late tries by K.McCudden and Henderson set the seal on a famous victory.

Last word this week goes to Walkerburn diehard, ex-club hooker and "Fortissimo" star, Bobby Knox: "I said a while ago how much fitter the boys were looking through better training. Now everyone admits it's true!"

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 25 Sep 09

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