Helensburgh v GHK Match Report


The GHK squad took the short trip down the Clyde for a league fixture with rivals Helensburgh on Saturday. There we were welcomed by former GHK player and now Helensburgh President Jon Simmons. Jon advised that he had spent the vast part of Saturday morning lining the main pitch at Ardencaple, and a very fine job he and all responsible for pitch preparation had done in challenging circumstances.

After GHK got proceedings underway, the first opportunity to open the scoring fell to the home side when the visitors were penalised for not staying on their feet. However, the home full back was off target and GHK were reprieved. Both sides were trying to play positive rugby with both sets of forwards serving up some decent possession and backs trying to play an expansive game.

It was GHK who made the first breakthrough just short of the quarter hour when Helensburgh were penalised for killing the ball just inside their own half. Up stepped Scott Robertson whose trusty left foot did the business converting the penalty with a bit to spare. 3-0 to GHK. The lead was doubled by the same player repeating the dose after about seventeen minutes following on from another home side infringement. 6-0 to GHK after seventeen minutes.

The workmanlike Helensburgh pack were producing a decent amount of ball and some sensible kicking took play deep in to GHK territory. Eventually the visitors gave away a penalty and this time the kick was converted. 6-3. It would be fair to say that both teams were trying to play a fifteen man game, however, a combination of perhaps being a wee bit match rusty and both defences being in unforgiving moods resulted in few flowing moves. There were some big hits being given and received. Rory Love, Russell Johnstone and Mikey Borthwick took some serious dunts and got back up for more. The GHK support was duly impressed.

A home side replacement player looked as though he had been railroaded in to running the line. He had a few interesting calls that drew some offers of assistance from the stand, from both Helensburgh and GHK followers alike. He looked like a player who had been asked to do something no-one else wanted to do. In fairness, the lad got involved in the action as a player in the second half and took some very decent line out ball. One of his last acts as temporary touch judge was to call a line out to GHK after a penalty kicked to the corner. Possession was taken cleanly and the forwards took the ball forward in a controlled and relentless manner and almost inevitably Gordi Reid was driven over for the try. Scott Robertson was just off target with the conversion. 11-3 to GHK after thirty two minutes.

About this time the first of the GHK replacements entered the fray with Tommy Horton and Fraser Hastie replacing Craig McPhee and Gregor Hollerin. The half was brought to an end by Helensburgh closing the gap with a penalty after the over eager GHK defence was caught offside in front of their own posts. Half time 11-6 to GHK.

Further fresh legs were introduced by Coach Hamilton with Adam and Russell Johnstone coming on for Gregg Woolard and Gordi Reid. Danny Hoffman relocated to full back with Mike Aird slotting in at scrum half. There was a lot of endeavour and effort but, to be honest, as they would say in the fitba’ reports, not much in the way of goal mouth incidents. However, both sides stuck to it and with the score line as tight as it was, there was plenty to play for. The home side, for whom their number eight Rogers was a very driving threat throughout, clearly felt that they had every chance of getting a result. Nevertheless, the GHK defence was very secure and invariably snuffed out the Helensburgh attacks without too serious a threat to the visitors’ line.

Going in to the last fifteen minutes, there began to emerge a sense that GHK had perhaps a little more left in the tank and did appear a bit sharper and momentum was with them as the game entered its closing stages. GHK eventually got a second try after some phases of attacking play were halted illegally and from the quick tap penalty the ball was shipped left at speed allowing Mikey Borthwick over in the corner for an unconverted try. 16-6 to GHK with seven minutes remaining.

With a couple of minutes to go, Helensburgh were penalised again for something. That is as specific as I can be. It did appear to be within the range of Scott Robertson who had kicked well all day. However, he pushed the kick wide of the posts. His audible disappointment was evident to all. In tennis you get a code violation for that sort of thing. That was the last incident of note.
Full time 16 -6 to GHK.

GHK man of the match – Pete Ritchie

A deserved, hard won if unspectacular victory. The match was played and watched in a decent spirit. Thanks to Helensburgh for their welcome and hospitality. We wish them well for the remainder of the season and all the best for their 50th anniversary celebrations to come.
This article was posted on 18-Feb-2013, 00:01 by Forbes Dunlop.

This article was posted on 18-Feb-2013, 12:45 by Hugh Barrow.