GHK 31-12 Melrose 2nds


GHK and Melrose restarted a tradition that since the Glasgow Hawks founded had been scrapped by playing the annual New Years fixture between the two clubs on the 2nd of January.


Obviously the status of GHK has changed in this period with them currently sitting in National League 5 and Melrose still flying high in the BT Premiership, so Melrose sent their 2nd XV to Old Anniesland to play the current GHK squad. With the weather being a little bit unpredictable, the agreement was that Melrose would travel anyway and some sort of competition would take place if the pitches were unplayable but fortunately the game went ahead with the ground being no harder than a summers day.


Due to many GHK players being away over the festive period, the team had a different look to it. Robbie Alexander came in at hooker, Ross McDonald into the middle row, Murray Wiseman played blindside and GHK’s usual back 3 player Andy McTavish and Stuart Hunter played in the centres with Liam McDermid and Bill Crigge being promoted from the 2s onto the wing and fullback respectively.


The game started at a tremendous pace with Melrose in particular running the ball at every opportunity. GHK’s forwards started to get a grip of the game and the ball was moved wide but some great cover defence from Melrose kept the scores to zero. After 20mins, GHK made the break through when good driving play by the forwards in the Melrose 22 allowed David Ross to feed Robbie Alexander who threw a lovely miss pass to Rory Love to score in the corner.


The half finished as it had started with both teams running the ball from everywhere but the score did not change with the game turning around 5-0 to GHK.


GHK decided to slow the pace down in the first 10 minutes of the second half and kick whatever penalties came there way to touch and let the forwards tire their opposition out. This worked perfectly as the GHK 8 caught and drove a lineout 5m out and Scott Ferguson broke away to dive over for his first GHK try.


Melrose then came back into the game and made good use of an overlap and fed the ball wide for their winger to score in the corner. GHK then upped the pace of their game and started to use the ball wide and it paid off when Rory Love skinned his opposite man down the left wing to sprint clear under the posts for a try converted by Bill Criggie. However, Melrose did not give in and cam right back at GHK with some tight forward play in the home 22 and after some good defence, they managed to maul their way over under the posts for a converted try.


They game started to get a bit heated with both teams keen on winning the trophy but GHK again moved the ball wide away from the Melrose pack and once again Rory Love running skills were put on show when he beat two men on the left touchline to score in the corner despite the crys from the Melrose player that he was in touch, but with SRU referees and touch judges for the game, the officials could not be in better position.


It was all GHK at this point and a great midfield burst by Stuart Hunter was fed to supporting Robbie Alexander who in turn found Andy McTavish on his outside who managed to hold off the tackle to dive over for another converted try.


The game finished 31-12 to GHK and the Forbes trophy was awarded at the after game meal to GHK coach David Ross by the Melrose President.


Next week sees a return to league business, weather permitting, with Clydebank travelling to Old Anniesland. Kick off is 2pm


Team: Criggie, McDermid, McTavish, Hunter, Love, Little, Rand, Forbes, Alexander, Welsh, McLemon, McDonald, Wiseman, Broadbent, Pollock, Ross, Carlin, Christie, Sam, Ferguson

Man of the Match : joint award Robbie Alexander/Rory Love

This article was posted on 3-Jan-2006, 12:00 by Hugh Barrow.