Aberdeen Grammar enjoyed the relief of a Scottish Cup game away from their season of torture in National League One against fellow strugglers Stirling County at Rubislaw.
It was one of the lowest crowds at Rubislaw for years but the stay at home supporters were the losers as the encounter threw up a fine spectacle of all that is best in cup rugby.
Grammar were defeated 26-19, despite staging a remarkable comeback after trailing 19-0 after 20 minutes, only to be denied by a County try five minutes from the end of the game.
It was an eighth defeat in a row but club chairman Gordon Thomson was delighted with the performance, describing it as the best of the season.
He said: “Perhaps we should have been bringing in young faces earlier in the season.
“There were so many positives out there, including our improved tackling.
“It gives us something to build on for the rest of the season.”
The theme of hope was taken up by club captain Jack Burnett.
This one should serve as inspiration and one on which we develop a winning theme. It was most encouraging.”
– Jack Burnett
He said: “This was never a meaningless fixture. Every game is important to us.
“This one should serve as inspiration and one on which we develop a winning theme. It was most encouraging.”
The opening minutes gave no hint of any resurgence as in a dreadful 20 minutes of mistakes and unforced errors, Grammar conceded three tries, two of which were converted to trail 19-0, albeit while playing into a stiff breeze.
But hope came just before the break when the excellent Donald Kennedy, the home scrum half raced in after a tap penalty and with Paul Paxton adding the conversion it was suddenly game on.
Youssef Salem helped team find hope in second half
In the second half, a new-found self belief surged through the home ranks due in part to the driving leadership of captain for the day Youssef Salem.
The number eight was instrumental in keeping his charges in the game, lifting among others new lock Ben Garwood and back rowers Mark Galloway and Burnett.
Galloway added to his growing tally of tries, while Kennedy added his second to tie up the scores at 19-19 after Paxton kicked the conversion.
But with the game heading for extra time, Grammar succumbed to County pressure when centre Liam Carroll raced through a hesitant home defence. Stand-off Jonny Hope completed home misery when he slotted the extras.
One that got away for the home team, although it might serve to be the spur for the rest of the campaign.
Grammar have a week off before they resume hostilities in Edinburgh on February 18 when they play Stewart’s Melville, the only side beneath them in the league, in a must-win game for both teams.
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