Aberdeen Grammar made it two wins in a week to move off the bottom of National League One – converting a last-gasp penalty to overcome Dundee 21-20.
The majority of the match had been dominated by a much more imaginative Dundee side, who really should have had the derby clash won by half-time.
To their credit, the Rubislaw side kept their long-time Tayside rivals in their sights, turning around a 20-11 deficit in the last 10 minutes to the astonishment of even the most fervent supporters.
Captain Tom Aplin acknowledged his team had left it very late, but said: “We learned so much from last week’s home win against Stewart’s Melville. Had we not won that game, I doubt if we would have had the confidence after being outplayed for long spells to come back and win.
Nat Coe, Grammar’s co-head coach, paid tribute to his charges, saying: “This remarkable turnaround was due entirely to the players. They are learning just how hard it is to win games in this very competitive league.
“I am so proud of them.”
Coe was delighted to see his captain Aplin not only kick the winning penalty, but have the honour of lifting the Dallas Allardice Cup – which is contested every time Grammar and Dundee meet.
Allardice, who played scrum-half for both teams and for Scotland in the 1940s, might have appreciated the manner in which Grammar fought back, but would likely have been less pleased with the way Dundee failed to take their chances.
Dundee boss: ‘We butchered four try chances’
Alan Brown, the Dundee coach summed up his side’s failure to win, saying: “We have ourselves to blame. We butchered four try-scoring opportunities.”
Despite being under the cosh in the early stages, it was Grammar who eased into the lead on 10 minutes when Aplin kicked a penalty, only to stir the yellow-shirted Dundee into a bee-like frenzy of activity which ended with full-back Fraser McKay racing through the static home defence.
McKay converted his own try, before combining with the inspired Andrew Denver to send winger Callum Nicol over.
Although the conversion was missed, Grammar looked in real trouble at 12-3 down.
McKay and Aplin then swapped penalties to make it 15-6 for the visitors.
Going into the break, the Mayfield men sought to increase their lead, only to concede a try to Grammar centre Sam Ryan, who saw a gap to score in the corner, handing the home side a lifeline at 15-11 they scarcely deserved.
In fairness, Grammar tightened up their defence in the second half, but were caught napping just after the hour when Nicol nipped over for his second try of the day.
Trailing 20-11, it looked like curtains for the homesters, but, prompted by stand-off Sam Knudson, they started to find gaps in the Dundee defence – one of which led to lock Cameron Robertson plunging over for a try converted by the excellent Aplin to make it 20-18 going into injury time, in which a sweeping Grammar move was halted illegally.
This gave Aplin a straightforward kick to win the game against all the earlier odds.
FULL TIME AGR 21-20 @DundeeRugbyClub !!
We’ve retained the Allardice Cup!🏆🤩#GrammarGranite pic.twitter.com/tTRKMfziNz
— Aberdeen Grammar Rugby (@ABDNRugby) October 29, 2022
Grammar now have a week off, but then travel to Glasgow where they meet GHK and have the opportunity to make it three in a row.
Eight on the spin for Gordonians
At Greenock, Gordonians made it eight wins in a row in National League Three after a 29-12 victory, which included five tries, attributed to Charlie Wall, Jared White, David Odumero, Angus Winning and Mark Marchbank. Winning added two conversions.
Gordonians led 12-5 at the interval, but raised the pace of the game in the second half to ease to a comfortable win.
They will head for Edinburgh next, where they meet Murrayfield Wanderers.
President Matthew Brechin said: “But first we have a deserved week off and, although we are joint-top with West of Scotland, but nine points clear of Allan’s Glen, we are taking nothing for granted – but we are enjoying the experience.”
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