Shetland 7 Gordonians 31
SHETLAND kicked off the rugby season with a defeat by a well-drilled and mobile Gordonians team last Saturday at Clickimin.
Almost perfect playing conditions welcomed the new season with both teams keen to get off the mark in the newly named North Division 1. Shetland won the toss and elected to attack into the wind in the first half but soon found themselves under pressure from the Aberdeen side. Several attacks into the Shetland 22 came to nothing as the home side's defence held firm in the early exchanges.
Shetland slowly edged their way back and produced some phases of play which saw them close in on the Gordonians line. It was from one of these quick rucks that the referee adjudged the Gordonians defence to be offside, giving Shetland the opportunity to strike first on the scoreboard.
However, Robert Geddes squandered the opportunity to put the home side three points ahead when he missed the penalty from in front of the posts.
Gordonians came back strongly and proceeded to dominate the remainder of the first half, scoring three quick tries in the process. The first followed a period of pressure in the Shetland 22, which sucked the defence in, before releasing the backs to score in the corner.
Shetland had barely got their breath back when they were underneath the posts again following another try by the Gordonians winger. The players didn't help their cause with a series of errors leading up to the try and were guilty of poor defending, again allowing Gordonians to score a counter-attack try from inside their own half. Only one of the three tries was converted to make the half time score 17-0 in favour of the visitors.
Harsh words were spoken at half time and this seemed to have some positive effect as the home team came out with a hunger which had been missing in the first half.
Shortly after the restart Shetland were on the board with a try from Fraser Mackie, following some good pressure defence deep in the Gordonians half. Geddes made up for his earlier kick with a conversion from the touchline, which hit both posts and the crossbar before bouncing off the post again and dropping over.
The Shetland team had the wind in their sails momentarily but lacked the cutting edge to break through the well-organised Gordonians defence. As the charge faded Gordonians hit them with two late converted tries to claim victory and a bonus point for scoring four tries.
On the day Gordonians thoroughly deserved their victory in their return to National league rugby with a good team performance, which showed few weak areas in their game.
Shetland gave a good effort for the 80 minutes but need to work on breaching teams' defensive lines, and areas of set play if they are to match last season's league position.

Garioch 6 Shetland 3
SHETLAND travelled to Inverurie last Saturday to face a Garioch rugby team which had made an unbeaten start to the season.
A positive showing from Shetland was only soured by a last-minute penalty for the home side as they edged a tight, competitive game.
Garioch kicked-off on a hot, sunny day at Kellands Park, hoping to continue their fine early season form. Shetland, who have made a stuttering start to the season, received the kick and from the off, took the game to the Inverurie team.
Early possession for Shetland was confined to the middle third of the field, but they showed an intention to play a wide expansive game using the pace of wingers Nathan Coote and Ridion Reynolds.
Garioch responded with a period of pressure but the Shetland defence held firm and repelled any tactic Garioch could throw at them.
Shetland looked a far better team than the one which faced Gordonians on the first week of the season. A more aggressive defence set the tone and the return of several players in the backs gave some dangerous attacking options.
Shetland got on the scoreboard first midway through the first half when good inter-play between the forwards and backs forced pressure on the Garioch defence. The home team's defenders were judged to be offside giving Shetland a penalty 10 yards from the line. Captain Robert Geddes, playing hooker for the day, put Shetland 3-0 up with the resulting penalty.
The game continued to flow from end to end with both teams looking to gain the upper hand. With half-time approaching Garioch were awarded a penalty for a Shetland infringement which was converted via the post to tie the game up at 3-3.
The second half continued with both teams being just one pass short of turning possession into tries. When either team did get a glimpse of the line the cover defence was strong and the scoring chance was denied.
It was from one of these attacks that Garioch had the chance to take the lead. Following a Shetland cover tackle which was adjudged to be high, Garioch selected to kick for the posts but instead, against the laws, kicked the ball into touch with Shetland awarded the scrum.
The Shetland pack, who had worked hard all day around the pitch, then had a shot at winning the game for the visitors. From a line-out the forwards caught and drove towards the Garioch line. Donald Stone at the back controlled the maul well as it rolled one way then the other 30 yards up the pitch, only to be stopped short by a knock-on at the crucial moment. That was to prove to be the last visit so near to the Garioch line by Shetland as Garioch cleared their lines following the scrum.
With the game approaching the last couple of minutes both teams knew that one penalty kick was all it would take to get maximum points.
Unfortunately it was Shetland who conceded the penalty inside the Garioch half for an infringement at the tackle situation about 55 metres out. Indiscipline cost Shetland as they questioned the referee's decision, and he moved the team 10 yards bringing the penalty into kicking range. The Garioch kicker still had a lot to do from 45 metres in front of the posts but struck it cleanly and it sailed over to give Garioch a hard-fought win.
There were many positives for Shetland to take out of the game. Up front Don Stone controlled the forwards and was all over the pitch, making hits and carrying the ball strongly.
Stone was ably assisted by David Smith, making his debut in the senior team at flanker. In the backs Brian Murphy organised the defence well and linked well in attack with the returning Paddy O'Conner, Nathan Coote, Jon Pulley and Ridion Reynolds.
The Shetland Catch man-of-the-match award went to Donald Stone.


Shetland 17 Moray 8
Shetland approached this game with negative points in the league, after a loss to Gordonians in their first game, then an automatic 4-point deduction for failing to fulfil their next fixture against Banff.
Their last game was a close run thing, with a 3-6 loss to Garioch in Inverurie, but at least they were awarded a single point for keeping the score within 7 points.
Even with several key players missing through injuries and holidays, this meant that last Saturday's game against Moray was a "must win" scenario. But with home advantage, hopes were high!
Moray arrived off the ferry under-strength, with only16 players, a mixture of youth and experience, and were led by former SRFC stalwart, Eddie 'the Badger' Nicol.
In great rugby conditions and on a perfect pitch, the match kicked off, and right away Moray set their stall out, with robust rucking and excellent support play. Shetland defended well against the Moray onslaught, but was soon down by 5 after a well-worked try from Moray's big, hard running centres. A crucial factor in Shetland's performance was the early departure of Brian Murphy, who pulled his hamstring after 20 minutes, stretching for a vital tackle.
This led to some hasty re-organisation within the blues, with Scott Standring, on his first game returning from injury, being thrown into the important scrum-half slot, and the evergreen Mike Skinner moving out to replace Murphy at stand off.
Shetland had some good spells after this, despite the untried partnership, and the Moray line was threatened several times. But poor decision-making at the crucial moments left them pointless, and by half time, Moray had added a penalty, and led into the turn-around by 8-0
Coach Wayne Leslie held a robust team talk at half time, and pinpointed the way forward for Shetland. It was obvious that Moray were tiring faster than Shetland, and the 2 extra replacements the Blues had were proving vital. With frequent rolling substitutions, Shetland hoped to grind the Reds down. This strategy started to pay off, and after an accidental clash left a Moray back with a numb arm (it was later discovered to be broken - ed.), they had no substitutes left. Only minutes after that, another Elgin player had to leave the pitch with a bad leg strain, leaving the fresher Shetland team with a man advantage for most of the second half.
Shetland now turned the screw, and were camped on the Moray try line for much of the rest of the game. The Blue forwards were getting the upper hand, and this was borne out by all Shetland's 3 tries coming from rampaging forwards, with Skinner making one conversion.
Pressure by Shetland soon paid off, when a stolen lineout ball was shipped back to the opportunist hooker, John 'Hoss' Martin, and he scuttled in for Shetland's first points. Team spirits soared after that, and after another in a long line of penetrating carries by the outstanding Fraser Mackie, Steve 'the Pirate' Glaister raised the spirits of the noisy crowd even more by bursting through for the second try. Amidst cries for a more tries Optimists in the crowd were now thinking about earning a 4 try bonus point, but to their credit, Moray battled hard to the end, and provided a few scares for the home supporters before Scott Hattrick settled the result with a bustling final try with only 8 minutes to go, Skinner slotted his only conversion of the game to take the margin of victory to 9 points, thus denying Moray the bonus point their efforts deserved. This was the last action of the match as referee Paul Woods then blew for full-time.
Positives from the game were a first win, and having a positive points tally in the league. It was a fantastic effort from Standring, who performed very well in his debut at scrum half, the welcome return of a Dhanni Moar, Stuart Jamieson's excellent debut, Mackie's running was very effective all game, and Derek Ross was a rock at full back.
On the down side, the loss of Murphy is a blow to the team, but the next game is not for 3 weeks, so lets hope time is a great healer, even for a player of such advanced years!
Shetland's cup tie against Waid RFC has had to be forfeited due to lack of player availability, but the club coaches intend to use these 3 weeks to the fullest, and the call is out for all players, past, present and future to turn up in numbers to training, so that we can build and consolidate for the rest of the season.
Training now moves to the floodlit North pitch at Clickimin every Tuesday and Thursday, so if you have ever fancied trying the game, now is the time! - Shetland RFC needs you, and you are guaranteed a warm welcome! The hope is to have a couple of friendly internal matches in the next few weeks to help introduce the game to new-comers, build on player skills and develop team spirit. Don't watch this great game - be part of it!


Ross Sutherland 13 Shetland 14
The Shetland rugby team maintained its unbeaten record at Invergordon last Saturday, when a try two minutes from time secured a hard-fought victory and four vital championship points.
A heavy shower just before kick-off in Invergordon ensured that handling conditions were going to be tricky for the teams, both seeking to continue their winning runs.
Ross Sutherland kicked off eager to stamp their authority on the game early on. Play, however, was confined mainly to the middle third of the pitch, with both sets of players working well defensively to eliminate the attacking threats of each other. As the half continued so did the penalty count with both teams falling foul of the referee, mainly for offside offences around the contact situation.
It was from one of these penalties that Shetland drew first blood, Robert Geddes slotting the penalty through the posts from inside the 22 to give Shetland a 3-0 lead.
The lead was short-lived though when Shetland was adjudged to be offside at a ruck. The Ross Sutherland full back took full advantage and tied the game from in front of the posts.
Ross Sutherland were now taking the game to Shetland and were beginning to work well as a unit, especially in the line out, where Shetland were struggling to secure their own ball.
Ross's pressure came to nothing though, and it was Shetland who extended their lead with a further two penalties from Geddes to lead 9-3 with half time looming.
Shetland failed to hold out until half time though, allowing the first try of the match when a missed tackle out wide allowed the Ross Sutherland winger to cross in stoppage time to make the score 9-8 in Shetland's favour. The resulting conversion seemed certain but was missed, which would come back to haunt the home team in the end, and Shetland went in at half time leading.
The second half followed much the same pattern as the first with both teams managing to cancel each other out. A few half breaks and cover tackles were creeping in as the pace of the game told on the players.
Shetland were given the opportunity to extend their lead when awarded a penalty on the touchline about 30 metres out. Geddes opted to go for goal but pulled the kick left and the scores remained the same.
From the 22 drop out Ross Sutherland took the lead for the first time in the match. Slight confusion from the long drop out meant that the clearing kick from Shetland remained in the field of play. Ross counter-attacked and following several phases of play scored wide on the right. The conversion was missed, giving the home team a 13-9 lead.
Shetland responded strongly when it could have been easy to slip out of the game. The forwards started to win some of their line-outs and were beginning to punch holes in the hosts' defence. The backs also started to have some success out wide and breached the gain line on several occasions.
Pressure needed to be converted into points though, and it looked like the visitors had blown a golden opportunity when failing to convert a three-on-one overlap in the last 15 minutes.
With five minutes to go Shetland thought they'd snatched victory when winger Steve Glaister crossed in the corner, only to be brought back by the referee who deemed the final pass to be forward.
Shetland rolled up their sleeves and went again for the Ross Sutherland line, this time with the forwards leading the way. Following a couple of phases of play from a five-metre scrum Fraser Mackie crossed in the corner to give Shetland the lead two minutes from time with his second try of the season. The conversion was missed but Shetland led 14-13.
From the kick off Ross Sutherland pressed hard to regain possession but gave away a needless penalty in the process. With confidence in the forward pack, Shetland kicked to the corner to secure a line-out inside the Ross 22. The line-out was won by the Shetland forwards and they drove towards the line looking for a further try to seal the victory. Good defensive pressure from Ross forced a Shetland knock-on a few yards from the line, but the referee blew for full time and a 14-13 Shetland victory.
Although the game was not a classic for the many spectators gathered, both teams gave it their all in a close encounter.
Shetland were served well by all 18 involved although Donald Stone stood out in the forwards, regularly breaking the gain line from the base of the scrum and covering the pitch well.
In the backs Glaister shone in his first game at centre along with Paddy O'Conner and the return of Ian Jamieson on the wing. The Shetland Catch man-of-the-match was awarded to Glaister for his breaks in the backline and evasive running.

Shetland 5 Lochaber 5
Shetland extended their recent unbeaten run against Lochaber last Saturday at Clickimin, when a try for the visiting team in the last seconds of the game ensured a share of the four points. The draw leaves Shetland sitting seventh in the league after five games on 11 points.
Lochaber won the toss and elected to play into the strong south westerly wind, which was to have a bearing on the game, meaning open running rugby was to prove difficult and a tight forward battle was likely as the final score suggested.
From the kick-off Shetland utilised the wind advantage and pressed the visitors from Fort William deep into their own half. It was clear from the off that Shetland had a game plan to utilise the pace of the outside backs and to move the large Lochaber pack around the pitch. Conditions meant getting the ball out wide was tricky, but Shetland persevered and had some success when firstly Steve Glaister broke the line only to be stopped five metres short. Then on the other flank Stuart Jamieson made for the line only to be stopped by good Lochaber covering defence.
Lochaber kept the ball tight in the forwards and only briefly threatened the Shetland line through phases of close rucks, pick-ups and drives. When Lochaber did attack through the backs they usually found Shane Patterson, returning for Shetland in the centres, in no mood to let anybody break the line with some robust tackling. It was from one of these tackles that Shetland first crossed the Lochaber line. Following some good hands from both the forwards and backs, Glaister was released and headed for the corner. The Lochaber defence got across and unfortunately for the home team the Shetland winger was adjudged to have knocked on as he crossed.
Shetland reaped rewards for the constant pressure with 10 minutes to go in the half when replacement prop forward Scott Hatrick showed good strength to cross the line from 10 metres out. The try was no more than Shetland deserved and Shetland led 5-0. The conversion was missed and although Shetland pressed, no further points were added to the tally.
Shetland, now with the wind in their faces, knew that they'd have to defend well with little room for error to maintain their slender lead. Lochaber on the other hand had a spring in their step and started the half brightly, looking to peg the scores back early on. Shetland managed to absorb the early pressure as the game settled back into a pattern similar to the first half.
Within 15 minutes of the second half though, Shetland were force to field a new look back line with Robert Geddes and Paddy O'Conner forced from the field injured. Scott Stranding deputised at number nine, with Mike Skinner moving out to 10 and Glaister coming into the outside centre position. These changes didn't disrupt the team and they had their best period of the second half shortly after. Shetland's forwards started to take the game to Lochaber and worked some good field position against the strong wind. The backs were also still looking to release the wingers with ball moved quickly along the line, but Lochaber stood firm.
With time running out it looked as though Shetland had done enough to secure all four points although Lochaber were to have their say with one final push toward the Shetland line. From an attacking line-out Shetland were penalised and Lochaber took a quick tap. The first phase of attack was repelled by the Shetland defence only for the Lochaber forwards to press again. From the base of a ruck Lochaber spotted a gap in the Shetland defence and dived over to tie the game. The resulting kick would have given Lochaber the victory but in windy conditions the kick was missed.
Overall Lochaber went away happier with the draw in a game which was ruined by weather conditions. Shetland can take heart from the game with all 18 players playing well and showing improvement from the beginning of the season.
Shetland was best served by Shane Patterson on his return in the backs and by Shetland Catch man of the match John Martin in the forwards.

Gordonians 52 Shetland 5
THE SHETLAND rugby team travelled away last weekend with an injury-ravaged squad to take on Gordonians, arguably the strongest team in their league.
It was the second meeting of the season between the two, Shetland being beaten by the Aberdonians in Lerwick.
A rough night on the boat did not help the cause very much but at least the weather on Saturday was absolutely perfect for fast-flowing, attacking rugby. Sadly for the visitors most of this was played by the home side.
Shetland started brightly though, weathering some early pressure before applying some of their own, only to have a feeble clearance from Mike Skinner charged down metres out from the line for the first try of the game.
That seemed to set the pattern for the rest of the game, Shetland playing decently for short periods and then conceding a soft score.
One concerted effort saw Shetland score towards the end of the first half.
A good passage of play led to a Shetland line-out 15 metres out which was caught and driven over by the visiting pack. But sadly that was it and the final score was 52-5 for the Gordonians.
On the plus side Don Stone was his rumbustious self and Scott Standring, filling in at scrum half, was excellent.
But the old problems are there for all to see. More commitment is needed on the park and on the training ground.

Shetland 9 Banff 7
THE SHETLAND rugby team got back to winning ways last Saturday with a hard-fought, last-gasp victory against Banff at Clickimin.
A break in the weather between two storms was kind to the teams on the playing side, but for Banff an extended stay in Shetland was required due to the Saturday night NorthLink sailing being cancelled.
Shetland lost the toss and were forced to kick off into the stiff, southerly breeze wearing their changed strip of maroon and blue. As in previous games at the Clickimin pitch the wind would play a large part in the game with Banff hoping for an early advantage.
Shetland had reshuffled their starting XV slightly with the return from injury of Brian Murphy, Paddy O'Conner and Robert Geddes in the backs. Murphy and O'Conner returned to their normal positions at 10 and 13 with Geddes slipping into the number nine jersey and Mike Skinner moving to full back.
Shetland's game plan was again clear from the off, looking to move the ball wide and utilise the pace of Ian Jamieson, Stuart Jamieson and Peter Farquhar on the wings.
The forwards had a familiar look in the front five of Blair, Stranding, Hatrick and the father and son Nicolson pairing in the second row. The back row had to be shuffled from previous weeks with injuries to regulars so Don Stone, John Robert Eunson and Steve Glaister completed the pack.
The first half was a close affair with a contrast of playing styles on show for the spectators. Shetland, playing against the wind, had to keep the ball in hand and look to make headway through tight phases in the forwards before attempting to release the backs out wide. On the Banff side some good catch and drives from kicks to touch were evident although they lacked a cutting edge outside of the inside centre to threaten the Shetland line.
Both defences were on top during the early exchanges, either through good organisation or a lack of creativity in the back lines of both teams. Shetland managed a few threatening breaks with Ian Jamieson in particular causing problems on right wing.
Banff responded and following a scrum from five metres out thought they'd opened the scoring, only to be brought back by the referee for a knock-on. Time ran out in the first half with Banff pressing but the teams went into the half-time break at 0-0.
Shetland started the second half well and forced Banff back by using the boot to gain some territorial advantage. As always though, Shetland made it tough for themselves by passing up opportunities of overlaps to take the lead and were punished soon after.
Banff had a player in the sin bin when Shetland spilled the ball in midfield following a wayward pass. From 70 metres out the Banff winger seized the chance and scampered under the posts for a converted try to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.
Shetland responded and were soon on the scoreboard via a Geddes penalty to make the score 7-3.
The remainder of the half saw Shetland push for the try to win the game, but too many times failing to convert when the hard work had been done up front.
It looked although time was running out and Banff was going to hold out for a win with 10 minutes remaining, when a disputed decision brought Shetland to within a point of Banff.
Shetland were awarded a penalty out wide on the left following a Banff infringement at a ruck. Knowing that a penalty wasn't enough for victory, Geddes took a quick tap and fired a kick across field where Shetland had numbers waiting to score. The kick from Geddes was slightly miscued, and caught in the wind, sailed between the posts. Much to Banff's surprise and Shetland's delight the referee adjudged that the "drop goal" stood and Shetland were now a point behind at 7-6.
The home team now sensed victory and went for the kill, pressing Banff deep into their own half. Time was against them though, and it seemed their chance of victory had gone when Geddes hit the post with a penalty from out wide on the left following another infringement from the Banff defence.
From the rebounded penalty off the post the Shetland forwards piled in and won the scrum as the team going forward at the breakdown. Slightly left of centre and about 15 metres out Stone flipped the ball up to Geddes from the base of the attacking scrum. Geddes had dropped into the pocket and slotted the winning drop goal between the posts with the game moving into injury time.
Banff had one more opportunity to get something from the game when they received the kick off, but having gone ahead Shetland weren't going to surrender the lead and the referee blew for full-time following a Banff knock-on.
Overall Shetland deserved to take the points from the game but as in previous weeks they seem to do things the hard way, something that can easily be worked on in training.
Praise must be given to the Shetland players though, as they never gave up the cause and pressed for the full 80 minutes and the hard work paid off in the end. The Shetland Catch man of the match was John Robert Eunson, playing out of position at flanker but put in a good shift covering the field.

RAF Kinloss 17 Shetland 10
SHETLAND rugby team returned from Kinloss last Saturday with a losing bonus point after a narrow defeat against the league leaders.
The travelling squad were slightly disappointed with the point though, having dominated possession and territorial advantage for much of the match.
A crisp December morning welcomed Shetland to Kinloss to face an in-form RAF team who now boast 10 wins out of 10 in the Caledonian league.
The weather, although nice, caused a problem when the Kinloss pitch was deemed unplayable due to frost. Following a few frantic phone calls the game was moved to nearby Lossiemouth.
Shetland won the toss and opted to play against the breeze for the first period. Kinloss were looking to maintain their 100 per cent record but it was Shetland who started the brighter, looking to release the back line at every opportunity from anywhere on the pitch.
Shetland pressed the hosts into their 22 on several occasions early on, particularly through good forward play from set plays and in the loose. From this period of pressure Shetland were awarded a penalty in the Kinloss 22 and opted to kick for touch. Despite winning the line-out Shetland were unable to turn pressure into points and Kinloss cleared the danger.
Under pressure from the Shetland team Kinloss were beginning to lose their discipline and were reduced to 14 men when their captain and scrum half was sin binned for a bit of "handbag" flailing.
Shetland couldn't capitalise on the extra man advantage though, and it was Kinloss who opened the scoring following an attacking lineout. Some good territorial kicking from the Kinloss number 10 ensured the home team had a good attacking position inside the Shetland 22, keeping the visitors pinned back near their try line.
From the line-out the ball was moved to the centres, who between them worked a half break to release the winger to score in the corner. The conversion was missed and Kinloss led 5-0 with half-time looming.
There was still time for Kinloss to have another man sent to the sin bin before the half-time interval. This time the offender was the second row forward for continually killing the ball and not rolling away from the tackle situation. Unfortunately for the Shetland team this happened on the stroke of half-time with the Kinloss captain returning from the sin bin at the beginning of the second half.
Shetland, with the wind at their backs and a man to the good, should have started the second half with confidence, only to be hit with an early Kinloss try two minutes after the restart. Following a poor restart, Kinloss were awarded a scrum at the half way line. A couple of phases later they managed to release their pacey right winger. Shetland did well to cover back, but the damage had been done as the Kinloss backs managed to move the ball across the pitch again to score in the far left corner with the Shetland cover defence stretched. The conversion was missed giving the RAF team a 10-0 lead.
Shetland responded and pressed Kinloss deep in their own half for lengthy periods of the second half. Kinloss were back up to full strength and were lucky to stay that way when, following another infringement at the breakdown, the same player who'd returned from the sin bin was penalised again for killing the ball with Shetland a couple of yards from the Kinloss line. The referee decided a stern word was enough of a punishment and Geddes kicked the resulting penalty to make the score 10-3.
Within striking distance of Kinloss again, Shetland attacked from a scrum in midfield. Good wing play from Steve Glaister saw him gain ground and he found good support from the pack. Kinloss defended the next phase well and managed to turn the ball over and release their right winger again. From 60 yards out he outstripped the Shetland defence to score just to the left of the posts, which was converted to give Kinloss a cushion at 17-3.
Shetland never gave up and responded with an intense period of pressure inside the Kinloss 22-metre line. Several scrums from five metres out were repelled by the Kinloss defence before Donald Stone eventually breached the whitewash for Shetland.
From a scrum five yards out Stone picked up and drove over the line underneath the posts, despite the efforts of two RAF men trying to stop him. Geddes had the easy job of converting the try to bring the game back to 17-10.
Time was running out for the Shetland team and despite a couple of attacking ventures into the Kinloss 22 late on it was the RAF team who finished the game in the Shetland half, looking for their fourth try and a try bonus point. Shetland held firm though and the referee blew for full-time with the score 17-10 to the RAF men.
Overall it was a good performance from the Shetland team in another tight game with the RAF.
Shetland will feel like it was points lost on the road but they need to learn to be more clinical in turning chances into scores if they are to progress up the league table. Commitment was never in question as the whole squad gave 100 per cent for the full 80 minutes.
The Shetland Catch man of the match was Donald Stone for his overall play in attack/defence and for good work at the lineout.

Shetland 24 Garioch 5
THE SHETLAND rugby team started the year with a bang at Clickimin last Saturday, as they recorded a 24-5 victory over third-placed Garioch of Inverurie.
The Shetland team picked up a try bonus in the process to take a maximum five points.
Both teams settled quickly and although the early action provided no scoring, they set out their stall to move the ball and attack through the wide channels.
Shetland had a settled look about the team with Ian Perry, John Martin, Scott Hatrick, John-Roy and Matthew Nicolson making up the tight five supported by Lincoln Carroll, David White and Don Stone in the back row.
The backs saw a couple of changes with Mike Skinner moving back into number nine, Brian Murphy at 10, Robert Geddes and Ian Jamieson in the centres backed up by a back three of Rhydian Reynolds, Stuart Jamieson and Derek Ross.
Early exchanges saw Garioch use the wind advantage and the boot to move into the Shetland half, while looking dangerous in the loose when Shetland were struggling to find touch with defensive clearing kicks.
The home team looked dangerous with ball in hand and had a confidence about their play, evident when John Roy Nicolson took contact and flipped the ball out the back door to oncoming winger Reynolds who was just caught as he broke the defensive line.
Too often though Shetland chose the wrong option at the crucial time and kicked away possession when retaining the ball would have been a better tactic.
Midway through the first half Shetland were reduced to 14 men when their hooker was sin binned for an infringement following a Garioch attack, 10 metres from the Shetland line.
Garioch took full advantage and scored soon after. From a Shetland clearance the Garioch winger ran at the Shetland defence. A quick ruck followed enabling the backs to move the ball to the centre who outpaced the stretched Shetland defence to score in the corner. The conversion was missed to give the travelling team a 5-0 advantage.
Shetland were forced into a change when Ian Jamieson had to be replaced by Matthew Chattell after he fell awkwardly in defence, clearing a kick deep in the Shetland half.
Shetland came to life following the score against them and realised that kicking into the wind was gaining little yards, so kept the ball in hand.
The forwards started to work well around the pitch and gained valuable yards off the edge of rucks and from the base of the scrum. The backs also started having some success and broke the gain line to keep the hosts moving forward.
It was from one of these back moves that Garioch were reduced to 14 men, following a high tackle on winger Jamieson. Shetland were back up to full strength and pushed for a score before half time. Firstly Stuart Jamieson went close when he hit the line at pace only to be stopped yards short. From the quick ruck Stone crashed through tackles going for the line only to fall inches short and knock the ball on in the process.
A scrum five was awarded to Garioch and Shetland thought they'd missed the chance to level only a minute from the half-time whistle. Skinner had other ideas, however, and following a good scrum from the Shetland forwards, he put pressure on his opposite number who fumbled the ball in-goal.
Shetland were awarded a scrum five metres out and roared on by the home support, Stone had a shot at the line. The ball was recycled and moved to Geddes in the centre to drive over the line and draw Shetland level. Geddes kicked the conversion as the referee blew for half time and a 7-5 lead for the home team.
Shetland now had the bit between their teeth following an impressive 15-minute spell just before the half-time whistle, which witnessed some of the team's best play this season to date. The lineout was functioning well both in attack and on defence setting a good platform from which the blues could attack.
Garioch were up to full strength again, but only for a short time as referee Powell spotted foul play at a ruck and the Garioch forward was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes. Geddes missed the resulting penalty, but Shetland scored their second try of the match soon after.
Following a series of attacking phases the home team worked the ball out wide to Farquhar who outpaced the covering defence to score his first try in Shetland colours. The conversion was missed but Shetland were 12-5 ahead.
Farquhar didn't have to wait too long before his second try came along, as he sped away to score in the corner. The try was a carbon copy of the first following good play by the backs and forwards of the home team. Geddes found his form with the boot to convert from out wide and stretch the lead to 19-5.
Garioch were rattled and rarely threatened the Shetland line, although they weren't playing badly and continued to battle until the final whistle.
Shetland, on the other hand, sensed further tries and went in search of the try bonus for scoring four or more tries.
Stone provided. Following a set move in the forwards from a scrum 10 metres out, good play between Stone and Carroll saw Skinner released towards the line. Only yards short, he used his experience to move the ball back inside to the supporting Stone who score from five metres out, his second try in two games. The conversion was missed.
With 10 minutes to go Garioch showed good spirit and finished the game deep in the Shetland half but no further scores were witnessed and the referee blew for full-time with the score 24-5.
This was possibly Shetland's best performance of the season with a try bonus being achieved for the first time. The forwards played well, both in the loose and at set play where the lineout in particular functioned well. All the forwards played well, with Matthew Nicolson having his best game of the season so far.
The backs functioned well and seemed to find a rhythm, regularly breaking the gain line with Murphy controlling the moves and the wingers looking dangerous again, especially Jamieson and Farquhar who showed strong running and good finishing respectively.
All 18 of the squad contributed to the win, giving the crowd who turned out something to smile about. The Shetland Catch man-of-the-match award went to Matthew Nicolson for his lineout work and general play around the pitch.

Huntly RFC 8 Shetland 10
A GREAT philosopher of Shetland rugby once said that there was no such thing as an ugly win ­ but Shetland delivered just that in their latest national league fixture against Huntly.
Shetland started strongly against a Huntly team who sit bottom of the Caledonia North Division Two, and soon established good territorial advantage as they looked to continue the fine form witnessed in their last outing against Garioch.
Straight from the whistle Shetland put good pressure on the high kick off and forced a mistake from the home team, which resulted in their number 10 being taken off injured. Minutes later Shetland took the lead. Following a series of bursts from the edge of the ruck, Stewart Mouat seemed to have scored his first try of the season only for the referee to judge that he'd been held up over the line.
From the resulting scrum, five metres out, the ball was moved out to the backs and Robert Geddes, playing at inside centre, broke a couple of tackles to score just to the left of the posts. Geddes picked himself up to convert the try, giving Shetland the perfect start, leading 7-0 after five minutes.
Shetland came again, with Huntly struggling to get out of their own half as the visitors were looking to kill the game off with an early blitz. Things seemed to be going to plan for the Shetland team as Geddes kicked a penalty from the left of the field following an infringement by the Huntly forwards in a ruck.
Ten minutes gone, 10-0 Shetland. A good start from the visitors, who then seemed to take their foot off the gas as Huntly came back into the game and in the end should have turned the scores around and recorded their first win of the season.
Strong running by the home team's number eight and full back brought Huntly to life, as they looked to narrow the early deficit. However, they failed to break through and threaten the Shetland try line, and had to settle for a penalty in front of the posts as the visiting defence held firm.
At 10-3 in favour of Shetland, Geddes narrowly missed a penalty with a couple of minutes remaining in the half. Referee Watson blew shortly for the break with no further score on the board.
Strong words were spoken at half time by coach Wayne Leslie with the Shetland team having only really performed for the first 20 minutes. Basic errors were killing the Shetland team, with Leslie looking for an improved performance in the second half.
With Leslie's instructions ringing in their ears, Shetland set out for the second half looking to improve on their first half showing only to be met with a determined Huntly team who sensed their first win of the season was there for the taking.
Shetland struggled in the second half, with much of the play being confined to within 40 metres of the Shetland line. Defensively, Shetland performed well and it wasn't until late in the game before Huntly broke over the try line.
Wasteful kicking and a couple of missed overlaps summed up Huntly's attacking play as they searched for the all-important breakthrough.
It came with three minutes left. Following an attack out wide, Shetland were penalised for coming in at the side of a ruck. The ball was tapped quickly by the Huntly scrum half and he dived over from two yards out.
Huntly's kicker had the chance to tie the game with the resulting conversion, but having missed two easier penalties earlier in the half there was no certainty that this kick would go over from out on the touchline. The kick was missed and Shetland breathed again.
There was no room for error on Shetland's behalf now with the game poised at 10-8. Shetland knew one mistake was all it could take to lose the match and with the penalty count mounting up against the visitors the game was on a knife edge.
Having weathered a couple more Huntly attacks, Shetland kept the vocal crowd on the edge of their seats in anticipation when they conceded another penalty deep into injury time. The referee indicated that the kick would be the last play of the game and from a similar position to the earlier conversion attempt Huntly's kicker missed to the right of the posts, with referee Watson blowing for full-time.
This was a disappointing performance from the Shetland team following their encouraging display in the previous league match against Garioch.
Shetland gladly accepted the four league points though, which moved them above Aberdeen Wanderers in the table into sixth position.
As they say the scoreboard has no pictures as Shetland recorded their first win at Market Muir since the Whitbread Cup quarter final in 1998.
Shetland, although not creative in attack, defended fairly well throughout the game and were served well by David Smith, David White and Stewart Mouat in the forwards.
In the backs Brian Murphy at 10 did some hard defensive work backed up by the returning Steve Glaister, winger Matthew Chattell and David Thomson at full-back.
Shetland Catch man of the match was awarded to Stewart Mouat. In his first game in the second row he scrummaged and rucked well and was denied from capping off a fine display with a try by the referee, who judged him to be held up over the line.

Shetland 19 Huntly RFC 6
GREAT cheers could be heard at 2pm last Saturday in the vicinity of the Clickimin rugby pitch as the Shetland side won their third game in a row.
This latest victory was against Huntly, the same side they so narrowly defeated last week .
It was a cold breezy afternoon when the game started with a good crowd, many having travelled with the visitors.
Shetland, playing with the wind, were determined to make use of it, and make use of it they did, trying to get the short driving game that served them so well against Garioch two weeks ago up and running early.
Don Stone, still sporting his "lucky" moustache, was making particularly good inroads, well supported by the new-look pocket battleship Robert Geddes, whose new-found extra 10kg has made his rucking at least, irresistible.
The whole first half was Shetland pressure and it was only a lack of composure at the crucial moment on several occasions that prevented the home side racing in to an unassailable lead. After 20 minutes all Shetland had on the board was three points from the metronomic boot of Geddes.
But that changed when, after another period of sustained pressure, Stuart Jamieson found himself approaching the promised land at pace only to find his way barred by Huntly hordes. Fixing them with a gimlet-like glare he stepped inside, stopping the defence in its tracks, to leave a grateful Brian Murphy the honour of scoring his first of the season.
The conversion wide out was too much for Geddes but soon after he did convert a brace of particularly sweet penalties to take the local warriors in at half-time 14-0 ahead.
Huntly started the second half with a renewed vigour, aided by some pretty sloppy indiscipline from the home side, slow to realise when to be sages not warriors. Before they knew it the score was 14-6, two simple penalties from the Huntly marksman.
The referee was playing a part at this stage as well, penalising at will a string of offside offences, on at least two occasions playing his whistle like a Wagnerian to Stone when the ball seemed to be clearly out of what passed as a ruck.
However, Shetland fought back to pile on the pressure. Stuart Mouat made it over the line but his effort was ruled out.
From the resulting five-metre scrimmage though, a mad push and scramble and Lincoln Carrol was over into never-never land. Geddes again missed but soon after the referee blew for full-time and Shetland had triumphed again 19-6.
Tomorrow sees second-placed RAF Kinloss at the Clickimin pitch and this will be a far bigger test for Shetland.
A fourth consecutive win for the home side would set them up for a very interesting run-in to the season's end.

Shetland 0 RAF Kinloss 17
SHETLAND rugby's recent winning run was brought to an abrupt end at Clickimin last Saturday as RAF Kinloss travelled north and once again returned with four points in the bag to maintain their slim title challenge.
Shetland started brightly straight from kick off as Fraser Mackie collected and immediately made 30 yards with a thunderous run. The forwards supported Mackie well and Don Stone continued the move, bursting on to the pass and supplying John Martin only for referee Chris Hamer to blow up for a forward pass out of contact.
It was a good start from Shetland which certainly excited the crowd who'd turned up to roar the team on. Moments later though disaster struck.
From the resulting scrum inside the Kinloss half, Shetland missed a tackle on the Kinloss number 10 who needed no second opportunity to make a scamper for the Shetland line. In Shetland's defence they got back to stop the Kinloss attack short of the line but the damage had been done as the scrum half dummied the cover defence, from a ruck two yards out, to dive over and open the scoring.
The conversion attempt rebounded off the post and out to give the visitors a 5-0 lead with barely two minutes on the clock.
Shetland were rattled and basic errors continued to plague the team and undo any good build-up play as Kinloss searched to build on their early advantage.
The RAF team didn't have to wait long before they extended their lead when again a missed tackle or two allowed their winger to step inside the covering defence to score the second try. The score was converted easily to give the visitors a 12-0 advantage.
Shetland rarely threatened the Kinloss line during a disappointing first 40 minutes, and were relieved to see a penalty attempt from Kinloss rebound off the crossbar and cleared to safety moments before the break.
A shuffle in the team following an injury to Paddy O'Conner saw Mackie moved to outside centre. His team mates wish Paddy a speedy recovery and hope to see him in action again soon.
Referee Hamer blew the whistle and the teams ended the half with the score 12-0 in favour of the airmen.
Shetland, though playing poorly, were still in the game at only 12 points behind. And they now had the wind advantage which Kinloss had enjoyed during the first period.
Straight from kick off Kinloss showed good discipline and technique as they edged their way upfield into the wind with a series of short forward drives and good ball retention.
Shetland's defence was patient though, and when they turned the ball over they pinned the Kinloss team back into their own half with good tactical kicking. Territorial pressure was mounting on the Kinloss defence as Shetland pushed to get back into the game.
Stuart Jamieson on the Shetland wing lifted the home team as he broke down the left wing, beating a couple of the RAF players before offloading to the supporting forwards. This break seemed to give the Shetland team some heart and soon after they were awarded a penalty out wide on the left.
Unfortunately Robert Geddes couldn't convert the chance and the scores remained the same at 12-0.
The game was now being played mostly in the last third of the Kinloss half as Shetland tried to reduce the deficit. Time was against the home team however, and too often they didn't protect the ball at key moments, allowing Kinloss to gain possession and eat away at the clock.
Shetland huffed and puffed but couldn't break down the organised Kinloss defence, who were to deliver a sucker punch in the final minute.
A clever kick from the Kinloss scrum half caught Shetland with nobody covering deep and the ball was picked up by the number nine a couple of yards short of the line. Shetland regrouped but the Kinloss forwards punched straight through the heart of the ruck to score wide on the left. The conversion was missed and referee Hamer blew for full time with the final score 17-0 in favour of the visitors.
It was a disappointing score for Shetland following good results recently, but on the day RAF Kinloss were worthy winners with an organised defence and good ball retention the difference.
Shetland must improve for the visit of third-placed Ross Sutherland a week on Saturday and must learn to keep the ball and build phases if they are to succeed.
The Shetland team could not be faulted for effort during the match and the lineout started to work well during the game for the forwards. In the backs Brian Murphy, playing at number 10, did a lot of good defensive work by tackling numerous Kinloss forwards throughout.
The Shetland Catch man of the match was awarded to Shetland hooker John Martin for his overall play around the pitch and never-say-die attitude.
A spokesman for Shetland rugby said that they would like to thank NorthLink for the continued sponsorship throughout the season which is essential to the club being able to compete in national competition

Shetland 13 Ross Sutherland 15
A PENALTY with the last kick of the game was enough for Ross Sutherland to steal victory and confine the Shetland rugby team to their second loss in a row last Saturday at Clickimin.
Ideal weather welcomed Ross Sutherland of Invergordon to the Clickimin pitch. With the visitors sitting third and Shetland fifth in the table it was always going to be a tight affair and so proved to be the case with the result going right down to the final kick.
Shetland started stronger with the slight breeze at their backs and it wasn't long before they were on the scoreboard. Robert Geddes kicked a penalty from just left of centre following a high tackle by the Ross Sutherland defence on Shetland centre Shane Patterson. Geddes added a further penalty moments later following another Ross Sutherland infringement to give the home team a 6-0 lead.
The Shetland pack was starting to dominate their Ross Sutherland opponents with the backs providing width and threatening their opposite numbers, and on several occasions they were just one pass away from scoring.
It was no surprise when soon after Shetland increased their lead. Following several good phases of play flanker Fraser Mackie picked the ball up from the base of a ruck five-metres out and bulldozed his way over the line to score under the posts. Geddes added the simple conversion to make it 13-0.
Ross Sutherland were on the ropes and rarely threatened the Shetland half throughout the first period, and when they did they found the Shetland defence resolute. Shetland played tactically very well, using the boot to great effect to drive Ross Sutherland deep into their own half, keeping the pressure on the visitors' line-out and defence.
There was no further scoring in the half as the referee blew for the turnaround.
From the kick-off Ross Sutherland rucked aggressively and turned a Shetland possession into a penalty for themselves. An easy option would have been to take the three points from in front of the posts but the visitors tapped quickly and scored a try in the corner. The conversion was missed but momentum had swung quickly with the score 13-5.
Shetland weathered the storm and soon started controlling things again. The forwards in particular took the game by the scruff of the neck and gained valuable yards, retaining possession and edging closer to the Ross Sutherland line and full-time.
The referee was next to have a big impact on the game. Following a good line-out take 30 yards from the Ross Sutherland line, the Shetland forwards mauled the ball ever nearer the line before prop Alan Blair scored what seemed a clear try. The referee, however, had a different view and deemed the ball was held up over the line.
From the scrum five Shetland battered at the Ross Sutherland line but the visitors held firm and cleared the danger following a Shetland knock on.
With time running out it looked although Shetland were going to hold out for the win. Ross Sutherland had threatened on occasions and hadn't managed to sustain any real pressure but they still showed determination and refused to give up.
In injury time Ross Sutherland scored what seemed like a consolation try to the Shetland spectators. Good ball retention wore out the Shetland defence and when the ball was moved wide they found an overlap to score under the posts. The try was easily converted to give Shetland a narrow 13-12 lead.
With five minutes of injury time played, the referee still found time for one more sequence of play. The local crowd were now on edge and indicating to the referee that the full-time whistle was long overdue.
From the kick-off Ross Sutherland had no option but to run the ball from deep. Run they did, as they managed to find a hole in the Shetland defence to gain yards and bring them up to the halfway line. A loud blast of the whistle saw Shetland penalised for coming in from the side of the ruck.
The penalty in itself wasn't too bad for the Shetland team as it stopped the Ross Sutherland attack when the defence was stretched. Shetland then committed a silly penalty as they delayed the ball getting back to the Ross Sutherland team and the referee judged it bad enough to move the penalty forward 10 yards.
Those 10 yards proved vital as it moved the visitors into kicking range. The kick wasn't easy and with one last swing of the boot the ball sailed towards the Shetland posts. It was touch and go whether it would make the distance bit it did via a bounce off the crossbar and over. The referee blew for full time and the rest, as they say, is history.
Shetland will feel they should never have lost this game having dominated long periods of play. The forwards in particular deserve mention for their set piece and play around the pitch. However, Ross Sutherland never gave up and in the end their efforts were rewarded.
The Shetland Catch man-of-the-match was Lincoln Carroll.
Ross-shire Journal match report here.

THE SHETLAND rugby team returned home with a further two points on their league tally following a two-game weekend trip to Fort William and Elgin.
The points came from a loss bonus in the first game against Lochaber and a try bonus against Moray on the Sunday.

Lochaber 7 Shetland 3
Shetland's first game was in Fort William on Saturday where they took on Lochaber under the shadow of Ben Nevis.
A beautifully sunny day and hot conditions greeted both teams following the Shetlanders' four-and-a-half-hour drive.
Shetland started brightly in the first few minutes, looking to move the large Lochaber pack around the pitch. Following a Lochaber knock-on a scrum was awarded to Shetland at the halfway line. The Lochaber pack had other ideas though and won the scrum against the head and fed the back line.
Shetland broke from the scrum, but following a couple of missed tackles the Lochaber winger scored under the posts to give the Fort William club an early 7-0 lead.
Shetland responded and soon had the opportunity to get on the scoreboard but Robert Geddes pulled his penalty attempt wide. Geddes found his range soon after and slotted a long range penalty over to make the scores 7-3.
Shetland had a spell of pressure near the Lochaber line as they tried to edge ahead. From a penalty about 10 metres out Donald Stone fed Roy Temple who was stopped just short of the line. Shetland recycled the ball but after a few phases of pressure the Lochaber team held out and cleared the danger.
Following the brief spell of Shetland pressure Lochaber turned the screw and controlled the remainder of the half with much of Shetland's play being defensive work. Lochaber came close to scoring on a couple of occasions but Shetland held out and the referee blew for half-time.
The second period was a fairly dour affair with much of the play in the middle third of the pitch. Defences were on top and there were few clean breaks or scoring opportunities.
Shetland's best opportunity came from a penalty but Geddes again pulled the kick to the left and the scores remained at 7-3.
With time running out Shetland second rower Stewart Mouat almost pulled in an interception pass which could have seen him cross the try line. Unfortunately for Mouat the ball was just out of reach and he knocked on when he deserved better for his overall play.
The referee blew for full-time and Lochaber had recorded only their second victory of the season.
The Shetland Catch man of the match was Forbes Hogg.

Moray 44 Shetland 24
The second of the two games on Sunday took place at Elgin, the home of Moray RFC.
Shetland had an early start, leaving Fort William to travel the 100 miles or so north to take on a team just one place below them in the league.
Shetland started slowly with the efforts of the previous day taking their toll on the players. Moray, on the other hand, looked fresh and highlighted their intentions with an early blitz, scoring four tries in the first 20 minutes.
With the score 22-0 to the home team Shetland responded and finally started to put their game together. A penalty under the posts was tapped by John Tait and his drive took him to within two metres of the line. Following a short maul Michael Sinclair dived over to score just to the left of the posts. Geddes converted to make it 22-7.
Moray came back again and scored a try through former Shetland prop Eddie Nicol to stretch the lead to 27-7.
Shetland bounced back when following a clever cross kick from Brian Murphy, they were awarded a penalty five metres from the Moray line for an offence by the home team. A quick tap was taken and John Roy Nicolson crashed over. The conversion was missed and Moray led 27-12.
On the stroke of half-time Moray scored another try out wide. Good phases of play saw them move across the pitch, keeping the ball alive out of the tackle. The conversion was again missed and the referee blew for half-time with the score 34-14 in favour of the Elgin team.
The second half was an even affair with both teams scoring a further two tries each. Shetland had now found their rhythm and started to move the ball well out of the contact situation.
This was evident during Shetland's third try when the ball passed through almost every player's hands, across the pitch twice before finally finding Stuart Jamieson to score his first Shetland try in the corner. His try was well deserved following some good line breaks earlier in the game.
Shetland claimed a try bonus in the dying minutes when John Roy Nicolson scored his second of the day. From a tap penalty following a Moray offside he picked on a smaller opponent and drove over the line to earn a point for the travelling side, much to the delight of their supporters.
The referee brought the game to an end with the score at 44-24 to Moray. On the day their pace out wide and ball retention won the game for them.
Shetland in no way disgraced themselves and fought hard right until full-time despite completing two games in as many days.
John Roy Nicolson was named the Shetland Catch man of the match although mention must be made to Stewart Mouat's contribution during the two games.