Helensburgh 7-20 GHK

GHK travelled to Helensburgh for their first pre season friendly of the year against a team that they faced at the same point last year in a game that ended 10-10. Helensburgh are in the new National 3 League with GHK just below in National 4, so a tough encounter was expected.

With some new faces in the squad, most notably Dave Whyte in the centre and fresh out of high school having represented both associate schools, Kelvinside Academy and The High School of Glasgow, Aubery Horton started at fly half. This would be Horton’s first senior game of rugby and one that he would enjoy and turn out to be the man of the match.

In the pack, GHK welcomed back Ewan McDonald at tight head, Mike Gribben in the middle row and Neil Mitchell at hooker, on leave from the marines. It was the forwards who laid the foundations for a good win with some solid ball retention and ball carrying from the likes of Colin Donald and Ali Forbes with Alex McLemon showing well in the lineout. This allowed the back line to flourish with Horton and Captain Olly Jones at the helm.

The first score came from GHK after an error by ‘Burgh whilst attacking and a dropped pass was picked up by Horton who fed openside Pete Broadbent who sprinted in from the 22.
Ali Smeaton was looking dangerous from fullback and some lovely counter attack play led to the next score when he fielded a kick and stepped through the ‘burgh defence to link with Andy McTavish then Horton who strolled in for his first senior try.

Helensburgh were coming back into the game and after some poor discipline from GHK found themselves on the try line but excellent defence from the visitors kept the home side out. GHK were playing some really attractive rugby with the patterns of play pleasing the coaching staff who have worked hard over preseason to put a new strategy in place. This plan worked perfectly when after some good forward play, the back line got the ball in some space and Horton fed Jones who fired a lovely pass to Smeaton to go over on the right hand side.

Burgh really had their tails up and came back into the game with the last play of the half on the right hand side where their much bigger forwards just managed to squeeze over after a pick and drive close to the line, the conversion was kicked and the half finished 7-15.

The second half was mainly played in the GHK half with Burgh coming back into the game but it was the GHK defence who were on top with an outstanding performance to keep the score to 7. GHK did have the only score of the second half from a lineout on the left, Olly Jones got the ball in midfield, sold two dummies and ghosted through the hole to find Dave Whyte on his shoulder, Whyte was just about to be tackled when he offloaded to Stuart Hunter to race in to the corner.

This article was posted on 14-Aug-2006, 11:38 by Hugh Barrow.