Strathendrick vs Stew Mel, 1/11/03

• Click here to jump to Riggers' Review
• Click here to jump to Stew Mel Stats

Squad

The Stewart's Melville team to play Strathendrick at Ruth Menzies Field, Fintry in the third round of the BT Cup on Saturday (kick off 2pm) is:

The team shows two changes in personnel from last Saturday's game at Gala.

Paul Wharakura is fit to resume at loosehead prop and this means Alex Edmonstone drops to the bench this week.

With Sam Hendry absent due to injury, Tyronne reverts to the full back berth he occupied in the Dundee game, with Borth coming in to take his place on the wing.

While we had originally planned to start Chris Bissett on the bench for this game, he's now been replaced by Fraser Rankine. With Jaff dropping out, that leaves Malky MacColl as the only player in Saturday's squad to have experienced Cup defeat in the snow at Strathendrick four years ago. Let's hope he isn't a bad luck talisman this time around!

The bus to Fintry will leave Inverleith at 11.15 sharp on Saturday if any supporters would like a lift.

Riggers' Review

Well, we won. Not much else to say, really, about a performance that never hit the heights that we know we can hit in any area. That in itself is disappointing, but we still had enough in the armoury to see off a stuffy Strathendrick side without having to play too well. The happiest person at the end of the game was Malky MacColl, who finally won at Fintry on his third visit. He was part of the Stew/Mel team which lost 31-13 four years ago and has also visited and lost with St Andrews Uni, so it made a nice change for him to come away with a win.

The draw for the next round is made on Tuesday, and, looking at the teams which have got through, there must be every chance that we will revisit Garnock. We played them the same season as we played Strathendrick and sneaked through at the death courtesy of them missing a last minute penalty. Must be a chance of a return visit! The next round is due to be played on 22nd November, so not long to wait.

For the historians out there, Saturday's Strathendrick programme contained the match report from the last visit and also the team. Our team that day read: Stevie Newlands, Gavin Sharp, Matt Dey, Chris Bissett, Andy Fleming, Grant Pollock, Jamie Blackwood, Steve Jack (captain), Malcolm MacColl, Brian McDougall, Mark Paton, Richard Maxton, Pete Cockburn, Mike Harper and Jason Conlin. On the bench were Simon Rowan, Paul Keith, Ross McNeill and Neil Young. Grant Pollock contributed all our points with a drop goal, try, conversion and penalty.

Next week sees us on the road again, this time down to Riverside Park to play Jedforest. It has been a while since we have played Jed and we look forward to renewing our rivalry. It should be a good game against a team who are just below us in the league table and it would be nice for us to go back down to the Borders and show we have learned a few lessons from our trip to Netherdale a couple of weeks ago. It will be tough, but, then, we have found that in many games this season.

On the injury front, Sam Hendry should be fit to resume next weekend after the knock he took at Gala. Pete McLean, Graham Lind, Simon Capaldi, Paul Keith, Mike Elliott, Kenny Bowie, Chris Bissett and Marc Karapanovic should all be returning to training this week and coming back into contention for games in the next couple of weeks, leaving Jonny Jenkins, Mark Welch, Sky Laurie, John Barr and Danny Smit as medium to long term injured.

Riggers

Stew Mel Stats

Return to 1st XV Fixtures page