Dalziel reach the National Shield semis

Apr 1 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

Scottish Hydro National Shield quarter-final: Glasgow Accies 6, Dalziel Rugby Club 32

DALZIEL continued their relentless pursuit of silverware when they marched through to the Shield semi-final with a comfortable win over National League Division Two side Glasgow Accies.

And on Saturday they will face National League Division Two leaders Greenock Wanderers, in a semi-final at Fort Matilda.

Dalziel stated their intentions early on and took the lead after just five minutes. From a five-metre scrum Blake Whitehead darted down the blindside and gave an inside ball to Crawford Reid, who scored in the corner. Robert Simpson knocked over a difficult conversion for 7-0.

After some slick handling by Craig Simmonds, John Goldie and Andy Hill, Accies killed the ball and Simpson slotted the penalty for 10-0.

Soon after a similar pattern of play resulted in Dalziel being awarded another penalty, with Simpson slotting for 13-0.

Accies pulled a penalty back but some excellent handling by Hill and Goldie resulted in Craig Lewis going over for Dalziel right on half-time, with the sides turning at 18-3.

Accies attacked in the seocnd half but were met with strong defence at the other end and could only reduce the deficit with a penalty.

Ross McAulay then burst a tackle and set up a ruck, with ball quickly recycled and passed to Craig Lewis for his second try of the day, with Hill converting for 25-6.

Five minutes later Stephen Findlay was prevented from going over by some robust defending, but soon after Fraser Duguid made a good break from a ruck, passed inside to Reid, and he offloaded to Man of the Match John Goldie to score, with Hill’s conversion taking the final score to 32-6.