Greens Fight Until the Bitter End

Caithness travelled to face Ellon in the National Shield in what proved to be a fiercely contested and physical encounter, with the Greens suffering an agonising 15–13 defeat after the hosts snatched victory with the final play of the game.

Ellon got off to the stronger start, opening the scoring with a try which was successfully converted to give the hosts an early advantage.

To make matters worse the Greens also suffered a setback when Jak Murray was shown a yellow card for tipping an Ellon ball carrier (Captain Kevin Brims later quoted it was the best tackle Murray had ever made!), leaving Caithness down to 14 men.

However the Greens responded well, with Marc Anderson crossing for a try just ten minutes before half-time. Anderson added the conversion to bring the scores level and get the Greens back into the contest.

The second half saw Caithness take control of the scoreboard, with Anderson adding a penalty shortly after the restart to put the visitors ahead. From that point onwards, the Greens held their advantage and battled hard to keep Ellon at bay.

It was a bruising afternoon for both sides, with neither team willing to give an inch. Caithness found themselves under considerable pressure from a powerful Ellon scrum, which proved difficult to contain throughout the match.

Scott Webster was outstanding throughout, doing an excellent job of dictating play and keeping Caithness organised in a fiercely competitive encounter.

As the match entered its closing stages, Caithness continued to fight to protect their narrow lead. However, in heartbreaking fashion, Ellon managed to cross the try line with the final play of the game to snatch victory, leaving the final score 15–13.

Despite the disappointing result, the Greens can take plenty of positives from a determined and committed performance against a physical Ellon side. Having battled hard for the majority of the afternoon, it was a cruel way to see the game slip away. The Greens certainly fought until the bitter end.