Ellon reap rewards from depleted Granite City
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WITH no adult games for Ellon Rugby, the Youth section returned to Conference action as Granite City travelled to the Meadows.
As the visitors U18s side were missing a front row, that meeting was started as a development game and played 13-a-side with uncontested scrums.
Half-time saw a closer scoreline than Ellon may have hoped for (12-5) as they found it difficult to get motivated in a game where the outcome was already decided before a ball was kicked, but they stepped up a gear after the interval to win 46-12.
Likewise there were wins for the U13s (31-13) and U14s (30-0), although the U15s lost 5-53 to a strong Granite City outfit.
The U16s match was the last one of the day, played in the wind and cold rain, and played 12-a-side with the Aberdonians short of players.
Similar to the U18s match, the change in numbers threw Ellon a little and they underperformed.
It began at a good pace with a scrum on the 5m line and scrum-half Arran Whitaker went over for the first try, converted by Josh Andrew, but Granite City hit back shortly after with a breakaway try.
With lower numbers it is hard to defend on the big pitch and Granite stole the ball and countered.
This was shortly followed up by Andrew scoring a poachers try as the ball spilled and he pounced on it to score and then convert.
Next was try of the day as captain Dylan Kemp, just back from injury, ripped the ball off the standoff at the halfway line, and ran 50m, hotly chased, to score under the posts, converted by Andrew.
A late try for Granite made it 21-12 at half time.
The main point from the half was four tries missed by Ellon as they tried to use the forwards too much.
The second half became weather-affected which added to the rather stagnant affair.
Euan MacKenzie scored out wide and Granite scored one more try to finish the game 26-17.
Head coach Gareth Kemp said “It was not the best of performances, in a reduced numbers game and nasty weather, but the boys still pulled out a win”.
Up this weekend, the Youth take on Muntly (Moray and Huntly combined) away in an X-Conference friendly fixture at U18, U16/15 combined, U14 and U13.
Neither the First or Second XV are in action, but the Junior section have a home festival on Sunday from 10am at the Meadows.
A great highlight for the club was Archie Falconer, Caleb Jack and Jack Duncan all featuring for Glasgow Warriors U18s in an away friendly at Saracens in London.
The trio are a firm part of the Warriors youth squad, with Archie and Jack both Stage One Academy players.
Hopefuly this will lead to international selection in the near future.
