Granite came short of players and the rules mean Ellon had to player match. So was played as 12 aside as a competitive match. The change in numbers threw Ellon a little and they underperformed for the whole match. The match started ok with a scrum on the 5m line and scrum half Arran Whitaker went over for the first try, converted by Josh Andrew. Granite City hit back 5 minutes later with a break away try. With lower numbers it is hard to defend on the big pitch and Granite stole the ball and broke away. This was shortly followed up by Josh 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 half way line, and ran 50m , hotly chased, to score under the posts. Converted by Josh Andrew to make it 21-5. A late try for Granite made it 21-12 at half time. Main point from the half was four tries missed by Ellon as they tried to use the forwards too much and missed out on scores.
Second half was more weather effected and the game continued to be a fairly stagnant affair. Euan Mackenzie scored out wide and Granite scored one more try to finish the game 26-17 to Ellon. A game that Ellon dominated but didn’t take their chances. Head coach Gareth Kemp said “not the best of performances, in a reduced numbers game and nasty weather, but the boys still pulled out a win”. Man of the match went to both Arran Whitaker and Dylan Kemp.
Up this weekend, the Youth take on Muntly (Moray and Huntly combined) away in a x-conference friendly fixture in Elgin.