ANNAN v GHK Saturday 31st August 2013

After all the weeks of training, conditioning and general preparation, GHK took the trip to Dumfriesshire to open their league campaign for season 2013/14 to face up to the new team to the division, the all-conquering Annan.

Pre match plans were slightly, well significantly, knocked for six by a combination of road works on the M74, some real life drama in down town Wishaw (our preferred detour route) and general traffic grief. However, our hosts appreciated our difficulties and delayed the kick off by fifteen minutes. We were much obliged to Annan for their accommodation in this regard.

GHK kicked off and it was the home side that were straight in to their rhythm and their first incursion in to GHK territory was rewarded with penalty that allowed the Annan stand off to get the score board moving. Any notion that GHK could take a while to get the long bus journey out of their system was instantly dismissed as the immediate threat from the off- loading home forwards, allied to a back division that liked a run, required to be faced down. The visitors, thankfully, were up to this task and in standing up to these challenges in the first fifteen minutes they had clearly heeded Mr Waddell’s pre match instruction to be ‘in their faces all day’. The GHK defence of these early efforts by Annan not only kept the score static but also made it abundantly clear that the boys were very much up for it.

GHK’s first significant play in the Annan half saw a penalty gained for not releasing and the left boot of Davie Reed made it three all after 18 minutes. The twenty minute period that followed thereafter was utterly remarkable particularly given what we had witnessed in the opening exchanges. GHK scored five cracking tries, four of which were converted by stand off Reed.

The first GHK score was created by Scott Robertson’s sixty metre break that opened up the home defence and giving a gentle pass to Hugo Lough to go in under the posts. Try two came about after another long range attack by GHK and, after the Annan defence had been stretched left and right, Gregor Hollerin broke through a couple of tackles to score close to the posts. Greg Woolard then got in on the act after a series of plays deep in the Annan twenty two. Forwards and backs were combining well, protecting possession and racking up the pressure on the hosts line. It was very impressive rugby from GHK at this time. Twenty one un-answered points in ten minutes appeared to have changed the game and the hosts did look a little shell shocked.

In this period it should be noted that the GHK defence continued to be rock solid and the entire squad all made their tackles and did the gritty stuff. A further bonus was the disruption of the home line out was probably anticipated to be a source of secure possession. Great competing by the GHK pack meant that was not to be.

Try number four was scored by centre Mikey Aird, who was clearly missing his half back duties, as he appeared at scrum half at the back of a maul a couple of metres from the Annan line and swooped over to score. The first half scoring was concluded when after another flowing move involving Scott Robertson, Gregor Hollerin, Russell Johnston and Danny Hoffmann, our new recruit from Brazil, the multi-talented Lucas Nascimento Correa, was on hand to force his way over for another very fine try.

Half time : Annan 3 GHK 36

The second half got underway in much the same style as the first with Annan intent on playing their game deep in GHK territory. Again however the visitors’ defence was resolute. Davie Reed and Scott Robertson kept the home side on the turn with a series of powerful clearing kicks. It was from one of these, followed by some great pressure in the follow up chase, that a loose clearance kick was gathered by Neil Mitchell. His great take was followed by some sparking footwork that breached the stretched home defence and his fine off load was gathered by Hugo Lough who romped over for his second try of the day. Davie Reed converted. 43-3 to GHK with just over five minutes of the second half gone.

If GHK thought that the Annan spirit was broken then the half hour that followed suggested otherwise. Demonstrating outstanding fitness and no little skill, the hosts kept going and were rewarded themselves with three fine scores that were borne out of pressure and sticking to their game plan of keeping the ball moving. As it was when GHK were scoring heavily in the first half (when Annan had plenty ball and a few chances to get some points on the board), the visitors themselves had a number of opportunities during the Annan purple patch. However, the passes that were sticking in the first half were not quite going to hand.
Annan having closed the gap to 43-24, the GHK support were quite happy to see the match conclude with no further scoring. The fact that captain for the day McLay was yellow carded with six minutes to go seemed to galvanise the remaining fourteen who closed the game out in a fairly composed manner.

Full time : Annan 24 GHK43

A very fine performance indeed to get the league campaign underway at a venue where many will struggle. Every one played their part. The scrum was solid. The line out operated well and made the opposition uncertain on their own ball.
The back division gelled remarkably well for a group that did not have a lot of game time together prior to Saturday.
At the critical times in the game our defence was outstanding, and had it not been so the complexion of the game would have been very different. Well done to the entire nineteen and touch judge Steaky.

Man of the match – a very close call with many contenders, but for a mega shift at the coal face, Stuart Hugh gets todays gold star.

It should also be recorded that the GHK second XV travelled to Annan and enjoyed a victory over a pretty solid looking Annan outfit. Annan had very generously lent us a few players to make it an even contest. Some cracking tries were scored and valuable game time secured in anticipation of second XV league fixtures in a few weeks time.

Two GHK victories made it a merry old bus journey back up the road.

Many thanks to all at Annan for their understanding regarding our traffic problems and their generous hospitality post match – mince n’ tatties – the food of the gods! Annan will be very welcome at OA.
There should be video highlights on the Annan website – go to fixtures/results and click the symbol.

This article was posted on 2-Sep-2013, 06:19 by Hugh Barrow.