Mighty 2’s on the road (versus AGSFP at Rubislaw 9/9/06)

OK! Where to start? Tuesday and a great combined coaching session? Thursday night and introducing people to each other again? Saturday morning and getting more bad news?
No let’s be positive and just talk about the trip to Aberdeen, the match and the huge efforts of everyone involved in actually getting a team out and playing some great rugby!
Eight of the squad who assembled at Rubislaw were making their 2’s debuts for the season and there was also a positional debut for McD who stepped in to play loosehead prop (well it meant we didn’t have to start the chairman!)
The match kicked off in perfect conditions but not in perfect style as the hosts capitalised on poor kick off reception – not for the last time! – and scored an easy try. 0-5 down after 2mins which was even worse than last week. Let’s just put it down to a long journey and lack of familiarity or maybe just sloppiness!
The forwards, who have suffered less from changes in personnel and who are shaping up as a pretty formidable unit when they get going, started to assert themselves and some slick inter-passing produced a try in 8mins (Apologies I forgot to write down who scored what try) I think for Stu Dunk, who is looking quite sharp after an injury ravaged season last year. Despite facing into the sun and the breeze Hawks were running the ball well in the face of some very aggressive Grammar defence, which seemed to involve creeping off side in the centre. Ricky Munday even enquired about this to the ref to be told that the ball was clear at all twenty rucks where this occurred!
Two more good tries followed in the last 10 minutes of the half from Gavin MacDonald & Mark “I won’t last a half,Ally” Oatey , but neither could be converted and this looked like being our Achilles heel when immediately after the 2nd, and on the stroke of half time, a loose kick from the kick off receipt led to the Grammar winger weaving his way towards the line and finding his support on the inside to produce a try which made the half time score Hawks 15 Grammar 10.

Too many Jelly Babies must have been eaten at half time for a penalty was conceded which brought the score to 15-13. With the elements behind us now and a well functioning lineout in particular the backs started to make some inroads into the stiff grammar defence. Coaching point: good lineout ball is the best to use and the actual lineout doesn’t have to be complicated, just well-rehearsed and accurate in execution,tempo and timing. Most of our ball was thrown to “Hightower” Gray but Grammar couldn’t find a legal answer to it.
Pressure on the opposition line was growing and a try was scored in 56min to take the score to 23-13, but poor concentration gifted a reply (converted!) which brought the score to 23-20.
It is at this point that there is a bit of contention. The coach feels that it was superior fitness and hitting a good rhythm that resulted in the score accelerating in the final 15 minutes, the chairman feels it was his introduction that tightened up the play! Whatever, the result was 3 fine tries of differing sorts.
The first was by Kiddsy after he tidied up a loose pass in the opposition 22, set up the ruck and then re-introduced himself to the backs to stroll in through the gap. Converted –at last- by Sean Murray- 30-20 to Hawks.
Two terrific forward drives brought about the final scores, one for Captain Cadell leading from the front and the other credited to Robbie Alexander and definitely not Kenny Hamilton!
FINAL SCORE – Hawks 40 AGSFP 20

All the players performed admirably but special thanks to Mike Whiteford, Jason Carlin and the two young Accies boys Dave Millar (not to be confused with the one with a “D” at the end of his name) and Jamie Young for stepping in at the last minute. Oh and thanks to the 51 year old stand in prop! Thanks also to KB and big Chas for their efforts this week. They know why!

The journey back was a happy one with the 1sts winning as well – we always knew you were good enough guys- and Coxy was the perfect host and Davy was the perfect driver for putting up with the drunken carousing and awful jokes!

This article was originally posted on 10-Sep-2006, 10:21 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 10-Sep-2006, 10:22.