The Final: The Bell Lawrie Scottish Schools Cup

Dollar Academy 8           Bell Baxter High School 20

What the Papers Said
The Glasgow Herald, The Edinburgh Scotsman and The Dundee Courier

Kevin Ferrie in The Herald

“Both teams were a credit to their schools as they produced a match of high intensity and no mean quality in front of fervent supporters….Drums beating, banners waving, the high-spirited youngsters of both schools chanted in good-natured fashion at one another throughout, and they were given plenty to get excited about.”

“Matthew Pope (was) unlucky not to find a way in for the opening score.”

“Dollar’s response (to the second Bell Baxter try) was magnificent. Gordon Robertson came off the bench to make an instant impact with a telling burst, and a sustained effort from the pack saw them pick and drive to the line, where his fellow replacement, Finlay Hay, was driven over.”

“While Bell Baxter remained the stronger side, (the match at this stage) could have gone either way.”

David Ferguson in The Scotsman

“The crowd was given as 3,465, but the noise was fitting for an attendance three times that figure and left few around the West End of Edinburgh in any doubt there was a game on at Murrayfield.”

“The first half was a pulsating affair with Bell Baxter making much of the running and gradually working up their attack, but finding the hard-working Dollar defence an extremely tough nut to crack. Early on, the Clackmannanshire school prised good openings of their own in the Bell Baxter rearguard, and Gregor Ross, the tight-head, and stand-off Angus Tester caused them problems in the loose.”

“Dollar fought back well (after the first opposition try) and with a penalty Tester rewarded the commitment of leaders such as Matthew Pope, the non-stop open-side, John-Patrick Ward, the captain, and scrum-half Andrew Shedden for an 8-3 half-time scoreline.”

“Dollar have a great tradition in this competition, and having won the cup three times in four years they were not giving up without a fight. A swift attack by Gordon Robertson only a minute after his introduction ended with excellent ball retention, a series of drives to the Bell Baxter line and a try courtesy of Finlay Hay, the replacement prop.”

The Courier

“A superbly contested final, but the young Fifers proved too much for Dollar, who never gave up and kept the match as a contest until three minutes from time. In front of a voluble crowd, some of the skills of both sides were equal to anything the national stadium usually witnesses.”

“For Dollar, open-side Matthew Pope was a standout and at times in the second half  they looked capable of turning the tide as Bell Baxter tired. ‘It was a great final; we were pushed all the way and it was a tremendous effort by the guys,’ said Bell Baxter High School coach Gary Horne. ‘They challenged us all the way and they competed around the park with us as much as any side we’ve played this year’.”

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