As Harris strive to stay in the top 6 before the league splits at Christmas, the new look Harris team took to the pitch at Elliot Road.  The new strips (still Maroon, Black and Gold) were captured by photo before the game with sponsors ‘Ross and Bonnyman’ and ‘Quest’.

Clarkson’s kick off never made the ten metres, but the first of many scrums against the head resulted in a 20 metre break by Swan and saw the first of 7 phases of re-cycled ball before a pass was knocked on by a Harris forward.  As Strathspey attempted to clear their lines Peter “Snakey” Bruce charged down their kick – his new bright red boots must be faster then his old pair.  At the breakdown Strathspey were penalised for going over the top and stand-off Clarkson collected the three points.  The score was equalised about ten minutes later for Harris holding on after the tackle, 3-3.

The game continued in the way it started with a lot of quick ball and the Harris team were spinning the ball side as often as possible.  Only a couple of handling errors denied potential tries.  At one play a returned Dalrymple kick was caught by Yeaman, who comically handed off a Strathspey centre before offloading to Greg Swan who followed his captain’s example and did the same to a would be tackler.

A quarter of an hour into the game a Harris move straight from the training pitch saw blind side winger Marc Wilson come into play from a scrum and get abruptly halted in his tracks by the Strathspey 12.  One of their back row also came in high on Marc, but the subsequent penalty got hung up in the wind.

A few minutes later Harris took a quick line out.  A confident draw and pass by Bowen was then mimicked by Clarkson.  Seconds later the ball was re-cycled and with Swan stepping into scrum half, he fed Clarkson who threw a missed pass – omitting four of the Harris back line.  Unfortunately the move ended in the next pass not going to hand.

Play continued a short spell later with Wood taking a quick tap and go from a penalty.  He was stopped by a Strathspey defender who had not retreated the ten metres and the next penalty was kicked into touch for the line out about five metres out.  Snakey took the ball from the line out and drove for the line ditching two defenders.  From the ruck another miss pass was thrown to Swan which was quickly shipped to Dally whose pass to speed merchant Wilson gave us our first try of the game, 8-3.

The next piece of play turned out to be Strathspey’s best effort of the game.  Their number 12 made an outside break and found a hole, in what had been so far, a solid Harris back line.  He was eventually brought down about five metres short and Clarkson cleared our lines.  Harris then made their way back up the pitch and two drives for the line, one by Richard McIver and the second by Snakey put us under the posts for what turned out to be seven points, 15-3.

Just before the half time mark, the Strathspey team were again penalised for going over and killing the ball.  Clarkson slotted the points.

The first Harris points of the second half came from a line out ten metres out on the right touch line.  A good drive by second row Robin Waugh (usually a wing –forward) made several yards before Strathspey were yet again penalised just short of the line for going over the top.  Captain Phil Yeaman took a quick tap and touched down over the line.  He was devastating from a metre out!  The conversion was pushed wide, 23-3.

Mid way through the second half, a sclaffed clearance kick gave fullback Dalrymple the chance to launch the counter attack.  He somehow managed to present the ball back from the double tackle.  From the ruck, Wares fed number eight McIver who eluded several attempts to stop him before he threw a beautifully weighted pass to the opposition.  I think he got their blonde long haired winger mixed up with our own Bjorn Borg.  Shortly after this on about the second or third phase, Prop Charles Quinn stole a ball which popped out their side of the ruck.  This was followed up by a twenty metre sprint to give us another five points, 28-3.

Our man of the match to be, outside centre Greg Swan, got the next score from some loose play.  He had numbers outside him but took the complicated route powering his way over the line near the touch line.  The try of the match followed next.  A 50 metre counter attack from Dally saw him run out of legs about twenty metres from the visitor’s goal line.  Support player Dave Bowen took the pass and touched down under the posts.  Clarkson converted.  This was a well deserved try by Bowen who seemed to have been pervasive all match, 40 – 3.

The final score was created from Adam Wood burning off some opponents and shipping the ball to second row John Stewart.  John still had a bit of work to do with twenty metres ahead of him and determinedly he went for the line.  He deservedly got his first points for his new club.

This match was another build block for the Harris team.  That’s three games in a row without defeat and the gelling of team mates on and off the pitch is beginning to give the team the results it has been after.  The defence stood firm.  Scrum half Wares put in many tackles as did inside Centre Sama’an Akel.  The pack provided the good quality fast ball which gave the Harris backs room to manoeuvre all game.  Hooker Jamie Barker took over ten balls against the head.   Roll on Blairgowrie.