The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dundee hit the road with points to prove
Cartha/ QP await in Glasgow for National 1’s bottom side
Having endured their worst start to a season for some time, it might not get any easier for Dundee High Rugby as they travel to Dumbreck on Saturday.
Cartha/QP await and although they are in ninth spot with only one win to their credit they might just sniff blood as the winless bottom side pitch up.
Dundee are coming off a 40-27 defeat in their National 1 joust at the hands of Hamilton last week at Mayfield,.
The loss of their second home game of the season – the other was 37-19 to GHA – was a serious blow to Colin Sangster’s squad but the coach was in doubt as to where the problem lay.
“We have lost a number of key players and the youngsters we have brought in have yet to pick up that sort of experience,” he said.
“Among others we saw number eight Ali Mackie, flanker George Arnott and prop Murphy Walker leave for Stirling County and they are all turning out in the Premiership.
“We have lost the best part of a team and trying to replace that sort of quality with local talent is a big challenge for the club.
“The inexperience told last week when we prepared well for the Hamilton game, scored first then lost a couple of soft tries and again it showed that when we go behind we don’t respond very well.
“We are working on identifying things we can improve on and we will get there because we are determined to stay positive.”
Another side who have to take a positive attitude on the road with them is Kirkcaldy who are in 10th spot in National 1 and, like Dundee, they too travel to Glasgow.
They face a GHA side at Braidholm who are sitting in second spot and looking dangerous as they average more than 35 points a game.
Kirkcaldy have one win from four, their solitary success being when they beat Kelso – but then so has everyone else so far and it could well be that Kirkcaldy have to expand their game to succeed.
They cannot totally rely on what is a very effective pack – but effective only when they get their hands on the ball, something other sides have sussed out fairly quickly.
With the visit of Lasswade to Duffus Park on Saturday, Howe of Fife host the only club lower than them in Tennents National 2 but the contrast is interesting.
Lasswade have two losing bonus points but Howe have two try bonuses as well as a losing bonus, which bears out the thoughts of president Chris Reekie.
“This is a young side who will certainly get better,” he said.
“And technically and in their attitude they cannot be faulted.
“They are scoring tries but leaking them as well and we have some hard work to do on our defence – but that will come.
“We have had to overcome the problem of the players we have lost and we had to almost reconstruct a complete back division but with the enthusiasm and ability of this young squad, we will stay positive and we will get back to where we want to be.”
That journey could well begin at Duffus Park this weekend.
It would not be unfair to Perthshire to observe that they travel to Maybole on Saturday to face Carrick in Tennents National 3 in the unaccustomed position as favourites.
Newcomers Carrick have one win and one draw from four starts while the North Inch outfit have won three from four starts and are five points ahead of Carrick in fifth spot.
That five points might be just the incentive the home side need, though, since a maximum points win would pull them level with ‘Shire in the league.