Late penalty brings Dalziel victory

Feb 21 2008

ANDY HILL scored on the stroke of full-time to gave Dalziel a thrilling league victory at Langholm in a match in which they they had never been in front until the stand-off’s perfect penalty in the closing seconds.

The local team are now setting their sights firmly on a top-four finish in National League Division One after hauling themselves into the top half of the table with three matches of the campaign remaining.

Dalziel’s rescheduled match against the Milntown side, which was only four days in advance, saw them face up to former Scotland A star Keith Davidson and the stand-off’s direct running and deft kicking touches caused all sorts of problems for the home defence.

Langholm took the lead following a lineout on the 22-metre line which was claimed by their forwards and their handling speed meant that the ball went all the along the back line, with Dalziel being unable to make a defensive touch before Davidson scored the first try.

Colin Jardine’s conversion looked good but the referee overruled his two touch judges and refused to allow it. However, the visitors extended their lead to 8-0 when Jardine made amends by scoring a penalty.

Undaunted, full-back Robert Simpson, who produced another man-of-the-match performance for Dalziel, brought his side back into the match with a magnificent solo effort after collecting a long clearance kick fielded by winger Derek McMillan.

Simpson set off on a looping run which took him past the Langholm defence, and after darting inside, a quick change of direction and acceleration saw him sprint past both centres to score between the posts, setting up Hill for a simple conversion which reduced the interval deficit to just one point.

The hosts went further ahead just after the turnaround when Davidson rather fortuitously scooped up his own chip ahead then outsprinted the bemused Dalziel defence who thought he had knocked the ball forward but the referee did not see the incident and allowed the score.

Hill equalised with two well-struck penalties to make it 13-13 but the hosts then surged ahead again when a mistake close to their own line saw the Dalziel backs concede a five-metre scrum and the ball was fed blindside to winger Stuart Bell, who scored in the corner.

Jardine missed both conversions, though, and that allowed Derek McMillan to get the local team back on level terms 10 minutes from time when the ball was rapidly passed from one side of the park to the other and the winger sprinted in to score from 10 metres.

The home side then piled on the pressure, only to see a long-range penalty from Hill fall short of the posts — but although the ball should have been cleared easily, debutant winger Lee McWhinnie chased it and forced a maul, from which Langholm were penalised for being offside in front of the posts and Hill surefootedly scored the winning penalty.

Dalziel are also hoping to take their first steps on the road to Murrayfield this Saturday when they travel to Millbrae in the first round of the Scottish Bowl. The Motherwell side are determined to reach the latter stages of the competition or even finals day in May.