Aberdeen gloom swept away by Oddie’s single-handed heroics

THE gloom that has been gathering over Rubislaw for the past few weeks was at least temporarily swept away as a ruggedly determined Grammar crushed a hapless Currie side.

In running up a five try sparkling display, Grammar rekindled their early season form, enabling them to cast aside the memories of three consecutive defeats. They were however greatly indebted to a sluggish, lacklustre Currie side who gave their hosts the best possible of starts early in each half conceding tries from which they never recovered.

The second half was particularly damaging for the visitors as first winger David Millard and then star man stand-off Keith Oddie ran in match deciding tries in the first three minutes. When Orcadian Oddie added a second effort 15 minutes later, it was all over bar the shouting apart from two late efforts from of all people prop Duncan Wilson. Wilson’s late efforts being a reminder to his incompetent back division that the Grammar defence was breachable.

But these late efforts apart, Currie was comprehensively beaten, leaving coach Bruce McNaughton at a loss to explain why they should have capitulated twice to their Aberdeen opponents. "I have no complaints about the result, and no explanation for our display," said a despondent McNaughton who did nevertheless concede that Aberdeen were a good all round side.

Home coach Damian Riedy was not unnaturally more upbeat about his team’s return to form describing it as "long overdue."

As early as three minutes Grammar showed they were up for it when Aussie centre Rod Seib left the sluggish Currie back division in his wake when he chipped through and gleefully touched down. Oddie gratefully started his own campaign with his conversion to set the pattern for the afternoon. Seib should have added to his tally, but after newcomer David Millward burst 70 metres, his final pass was adjudged to have been forward.

Home supporters had instead to settle for two Oddie penalties one of which was cancelled by his opposite number Greg Rutherford.

At 13-3 the second half looked to be set for a even contest between arguably two of the finest back divisions in the league. Inexplicably Currie failed the test, allowing the homesters three tries within 15 minutes to finish the game as a contest.

Flanker Jason Watt rubbing salt in the wounds with a late Grammar effort to enable Oddie to bring his overall tally to 22 points.

The game now out of their reach, Currie battled back through Wilson’s efforts, but it was to no avail being all rather irrelevant on a dreich, miserable day for the visitors.

On this form Grammar will again be a force to reckon with although Grammar supporters might well be happy just to survive in what is a highly competitive league.

Currie, on the other hand, will need to look to their laurels to ensure that they have premier one status next year.

Aberdeen were best served by winger Millard, all action man Tim Dinnen and the ever thoughtful Keith Oddie to whom the day belonged. The home side even showed a massive improvement in their lineout play, which has been their downfall over the last three weeks.

Currie battled on but only Duncan Wilson will remember his away day in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen: S Newton (rep B Price 77 mins), A Buchan, R Seib, D Pickup, D Millard (S Low 79 mins), K Oddie, A Hose, T Gordon-Duff, I Stanger, B Prescott, C McCaul, M O’Brien (J McKenzie 67 mins), J Watt, T Dinnen, A Thomson (capt).

Currie: M Duncan, I Russell, A Cowie, M Plumb, D McDonald, G Rutherford (S May 46 mins), I Monaghan, J Ross, B Milligan, B Wilson, R Hogg, A Adam, S Sothern, J Shaw (capt), K Ray

Referee: D Changleng (Gala).