Kilmarnock v Glasgow Accies Match Report

1st September 2007

Bellsland, Kilmarnock



Result: Kilmarnock 26 – 10 Glasgow Accies



Accies opened the 2007 – 08 season away to Kilmarnock at Bellsland. Having undergone a very productive pre-season campaign hopes were high of recording a winning start to the new seasons campaign. Sadly for Accies it was a day to rue missed tackles and dropped balls. Kilmarnock won this game by taking all their opportunities in a game that, in the second half at least, Accies totally dominated possession but couldn’t deliver the knockout blow.

As the game opened it was Kilmarnock who showed the greater vigour and drive in the first quarter of the game as they sought to move the ball wide at every opportunity in search of the first score. Kilmarnock’s two outstanding players were their inside centre and full back, both had an eye for the gap and ran hard and consistently made ground and Accies struggled to contain them throughout the entire game.

However as the first half developed Accies steadily picked up the pace of the game and forced their way back into the game with some enterprising play that linked forwards and backs together. It was a notable feature of the game that when Accies picked up the pace of the game their superior fitness told and Kilmarnock were being stretched and only some desperate cover defence and dropped balls stopped Accies from opening the scoring.

This was a brief delay as Accies opened the scoring after 20 minutes. Following a neat line out ploy at the halfway line flanker John Dillon drove the ball upfield to the Killie 22m line, quickly rucked ball was spun out to Scott Thorburn who drove hard for the try line but was tackled just short and Killie were penalised for trying to regain the ball by foul methods. Accies opted for the scrum and Allan Wilson scored the opening try following the drive and pick up from Scott Thorburn.

Killie 0 – Accies 5

Killlie slice the re-start kick and a popped pass sees Jamie Doig slice through the Killie would be tacklers and suddenly Accies were in full flow with the ball being moved about with pace and purpose. However, Accies were to fall foul of the new “zero tolerance” laws with regard to communicating with the referee. Essentially anyone speaking to the referee that is not the captain is penalised and yellow carded. Firstly an Accies penalty was reversed and the Killie centre took a quick tap penalty and ran in from 35 metres out following a number of missed tackles.

Killie 7 – Accies 5

Accies spring back and continue to pursue their high tempo style of rugby which has Kilmarnock stretched to the limits but can’t quite land the killer blow as their composure let them down as they tried to force the final pass. Thankfully, Accies get the second try as Mike Hermes forced his way over from 2 metres out just as half time was being called.

Kille 7 – Accies 10 (Half Time)

In the second half Killie resort to classic “up the jumper” rugby which their forwards are clearly built for as Accies’ John Dillon had been sin binned for talking to the referee and Accies spend the next ten minutes defending as the extra man takes its toll and Kilmarnock score their second try after a missed tackle by Craig Wright allowed Killie’s pacy, strong running full back to run deep into Accies 22 and the supporting runners were there to carry the ball over.

Killie 14 – Accies 10

Playing into a strong breeze Accies chose to run the ball out of defence when the opportunity arose and on one run winger Scott Hazeley makes 45 metres stretching Kilmarnock, however poor final execution means the chance was lost. As the second half progresses Accies are playing all the rugby and Killie are living off the scraps of Accies knock-ons that keeps them in the game.

The crunch moment came 10 mins from the end as Accies were awarded a penalty and opted to kick to touch to go for the try. The lineout was caught and driven and then the bal was moved out to the backline, sadly trying to force the score the pass is intercepted and Killie clear downfield, Accies are exposed andKillie recover the ball and drive for the line with some good support play and score a vital match winning try.

Killie 19 – Accies 10

With the wind taken out of their sails Accies concede a final try right on full time to close the scoring at 26 – 10.

Overall, a very disappointing result for Accies, Killie took their chances well and had two players who constantly posed problems for Accies with their strong direct running but Accies will rue the missed tackles and dropped balls that gave Killie their chances which they gratefully accepted and crucially for them they scored with each of these chances to win the game. There are real positives for Accies in the way they stretched Killie but the composure at key moments wasn’t there and the coaches will clearly be working on this aspect at training this week.



Stephen Winter

This article was posted on 3-Sep-2007, 07:04 by Hugh Barrow.