UNDERSTRENGTH CQP WELL BEATEN BY IN-FORM LEAGUE LEADERS

This was always going to be a difficult game for CQP to win with opponents Edinburgh Accies having won all nine of their games with a try bonus in all but one match. CQP's position was undoubtedly made more difficult by the absence for different reasons of no fewer than six first XV squad backs leading to the need to take Calum Dickson out of the back row and play him on the left wing.

Taking the field Edinburgh Accies looked a powerful outfit and it took them only three minutes to open their account with a try by their captain number 7 Jamie Sole , son of the famous former Scottish captain David. The try was converted by stand off Brian Perrott.

Prior to this CQP had taken two good line out balls indicating that some effective work had been undertaken in this important area in training.
After ten more minutes Accies increased their lead with a second try this time by number 4 Robert Lovett, again the conversion was successful. This try came about as a result of a clever crossfield kick to the Accies right hand side with the score going in at the corner.

Things began to look really ominous when Accies added a third try only a minute later when their loosehead Shaun Gunn went over. With all three tries converted the score now moved to 21-0 to the visitors.

CQP kicked off but put the ball straight into touch leading to a scrum back on the halfway line. It then took Accies only a couple of more minutes to add their bonus try again courtesy of Jamie Sole.

Accies were carrying the ball well and running at pace and with conviction with ball in hand. CQP were putting in the tackles but such was the power of the Accies with ball in hand that on occasion the tackles were being broken.

It was no surprise when Gunn added another try and with only twenty eight minutes on the clock try number six was scored again by Jamie Sole who was very much leading by example. The score looked much worse from a CQP perspective by the fact that Perrott converted all six tries in the first half. With thirty two minutes played CQP finally got on the board with a try scored by Milan Marinkovic back in the squad after an injury absence. This try followed a penalty to CQP directed into touch and a well organised take and drive over the Accies Line.
Wayne Burrows converted and the score moved to 42 -7 to Accies where it stood at the break.

Accies had dominated the first half and post game their officials indicated that they thought that the Accies performance in the first thirty minutes was the bast they had played all season. .

HT Edinburgh Accies 42 CQP 7

In the second half CQP had the benefit of the diagonal wind and this proved helpful as Accies found that they had to work harder to add to their score which they did after nine minutes of play when Lovett got the try. This time the conversion was unsuccessful. With sixty four minutes played Grant Walker added converted try number eight.

With the clock running down Accies scored their final try again unconverted.

Prior to that CQP had demonstrated that there was nothing wrong with their fitness when they pressed Accies inside their twenty two for near enough ten minutes, Accies in turn however demonstrated why they have lost fewer points than any other team in the league by denying CQP a score in this spell. Eventually after numerous phases of play the CQP attack faltered with a dropped pass.

FINAL SCORE CARTHA QP 7 ( 0 ) points Edinburgh Accies 59 ( 5 ) points.

There is no doubt that Accies thoroughly deserved their victory. It was crystal clear why this one hundred and sixty year old club are sitting proudly at the top of National 1.

Last season Accies finished in second place in the league and lost by two points to Hawick in the play off leaving them to play another year in National 1. It will be a great surprise, if they maintain the form we saw at Dumbreck on Saturday, if they do not gain promotion at the end this season automatically, by winning the league title. Accies are definitely the best team we have seen at Dumbreck this season.

After such a heavy defeat it would be understandable if the CQP lads felt down. This would however be a mistake. Despite the score CQP played some good open rugby. The difference between the teams was the intensity of the play. Accies had more power and carried the ball with greater pace. In addition they tackled much harder.

On the day we were beaten by a much stronger rugby team. If we can increase the intensity of our attack and go harder into the tackle we should be able to reduce if not eliminate the gap which we saw in this game.

Both Graham Williamson and Wayne Burrows caught the eye for CQP in trying hard to carry the ball to Accies.

We now have a three week break for the autumn tests.