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Townsend joint top Scotland scorer
BRISBANE, Australia -- Flyhalf Gregor Townsend equalled a Scotland scoring record with his 17th international try on Monday to give his team a bonus point in their 39-15 World Cup Pool B victory over the United States. Townsend darted through the defence for Scotland's fourth try after wing Simon Danielli had opened the way with two first half scores and prop Kevin Kerr had grounded after a charge down. Scotland winger Chris Paterson kicked two penalties, four conversion and scored the final try for a 19 point haul. The Americans, who had a 19-18 loss to Fiji in their opener, were again strong in defense but lacked imagination in attack and extended their World Cup record losing stretch to 10 matches. Flyhalf Mike Hercus, who missed a sideline conversion after fulltime that could have lifted the Eagles to an upset win over Fiji, landed three penalties in the first half and two in the second to account for all 15 points. The game rarely flowed with the Scots conceding 19 penalties and the U.S. surrendering too much possession. "We kept on getting offside, we've got to clean up our mistakes before Saturday, but all the guys are very happy," said Scotland captain Gordon Bulloch. U.S. captain Dave Hodges claimed his players were too sloppy saying: "We turned over too much ball and missed a few too many tackles." Right wing Danielli crossed twice within five minutes to break the game open after Hercus had given the Americans a 6-3 lead with penalties in the 9th and 13th minutes. Danielli burst onto a shortball from Ross Beattie on the 40-meter line and rounded U.S. fullback Paul Emerick in the 20th minute. The big winger later took the ball inside the attacking quarter, broke through one tackle and carried three defenders across the line in the 25th. Paterson landed both conversions to give Scotland a 17-6 lead. Kerr earned his first international try after charging down Kevin Dalzell's attempted clearance two minutes before halftime. Winger Riaan van Zyl was twice caught off guard in the movement, fumbling a ball kicked into his corner and then losing a race with the giant frontrower to the ball as it rolled in-goal. The Americans were stopped on Scotland's line in first-half injury time but were denied a five-pointer by Scotland prop Tom Smith, who was penalized for hands in the ruck and sent to the sinbin for 10 minutes. Hercus landed a simple penalty goal to reduce the margin to 24-9 at the break. Phillip Eloff crossed for the Americans five minutes after the break after Hercus' attempt at goal deflected off the far upright, but the video referee adjudicated that the Eagles center had knocked on when he attempted to grab the rebound. Hercus and Paterson traded penalties to move the scoreline along to 27-15 when the Eagles were reduced to 14 men with fullback Emerick sent to the sinbin for holding a Scottish player back in a chase for the ball late in the second half. Townsend crossed while Emerick was off the pitch and then Paterson crossed for the final points in the penultimate minute as the U.S. were stretched.
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