Orkney RFC get season off to a winning start

Orkney rugby club kicked off their 2011/12 season with a fine 31 – 11 win over Caithness in the first round of the RBS Regional Shield at Pickaquoy this afternoon.

However, the final score did not reflect what was a close game until the last 10 minutes, when Orkney winger Philip Ross scored two runaway tries in quick succession to put the result beyond doubt.

In a match where Orkney were never behind, a first half try from number eight Andrew Cuddihy, converted by stand-off James Linklater, saw Orkney leading 7 – 3 at half-time.

In the second half Orkney scored tries through Linklater and captain William Thomson, but Caithness kept in touch with an unconverted try and penalty setting up a tense finale.

It was the away team who had the territorial advantage with minutes to go before Ross twice capitalised on mistakes, racing the length of the pitch to score under the posts.