Saturday’s 22-27 defeat at the hands of Ayr seems to have been another microcosm of Dundee Rugby’s season so far.
One well-seasoned observer over a pre-match pint said that Alan Brown’s young side had shown promise and bags of heart in 2022, but lacked game management and seemed to go missing for long periods in games.
And that’s exactly what happened. Dundee barely fired a shot for nearly 45 minutes, suddenly exploded for 22 points from nothing, but missed a chance to tie the game and lost it at the death.
Storming comeback from 18-0 down
🔵🟡⚪TEAM SHEETS⚪🟡🔵
3 Senior teams in action this weekend! Come down to Mayfield or Alloway on Saturday to support the 1st & 2nd XV Men in their games against @OfficialAyrRFC & @CarnoustieHSFP . All support is welcome!#DundeeRugbyClub #dundeerugby #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/GrteTZKdbB
— Dundee Rugby Club (@DundeeRugbyClub) October 21, 2022
They were 18-0 down before they roused themselves, and were lucky it was only that. Dogged defence and some fight at the breakdown just about kept Ayr at bay. Two tries were scant reward for the visitors’ dominance.
Just before half-time, Dundee won a rare penalty, kicked to the corner and had their first possession inside Ayr’s 22. But Sam Cardoso’s throw was snared by a visitor, the ref blew for half-time, and head coach Alan Brown’s frustration on the sideline was evident.
But he barked a few home truths in the huddle at half-time, and importantly stuck on Tom Hall at loose-head.
Dundee got a foothold, Ayr started to blow a bit and surrender penalties. Andrew Denver’s try gave the home side some life.
Suddenly the home setpiece was clicking, Ayr’s scrum was struggling, and Dundee scored twice off lineout drives. Hall got them both, his first a beauty spinning off the maul and out of two tacklers to score.
Two penalties from Ayr didn’t stem the tide against them. When Fraser McKay’s brilliance with a tap penalty and off-load sent in Callum Nicol for their bonus try, the home crowd were roaring their approval.
If the centre had seen that the posts were completely unguarded he probably could have made an equalising conversion simple for his full-back. But the kick from the angle went wide, and as the rain started to fall Ayr belatedly regained control.
Still in the top half of the table
In truth they might have finished off Dundee had the last pass to a two-man overlap gone forward not once but twice. Jamie Bova’s fourth penalty from near halfway finally ended the home team’s resistance.
Two bonus points took their haul of those to six in seven games – equal best in National League One. And despite just two wins, they’re in the top half of the table.
It surely shows there’s not much to sort out before this young team can start scoring more wins instead of hard-luck losses.
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