Glasgow Accies 15 – Linlithgow 17

8th December 2007

New Anniesland



“Accies edged out in the gloom”



On a dreadfully cold wet day Accies fell one kick short of recording a much needed victory against mid table Linlithgow. Encouragingly the heart for the fight was there but some basic errors again cost Accies dear as on the balance of play the Accies pack was superior and their backs more enterprising despite the dreadful conditions. Perhaps Accies tried to play too much rugby given the conditions and this can lead to errors as cold hands generally means errors can easily happen.



The match opened disastrously for Accies as Linlithgow scored within minutes of the start. The early ping pong kicking resulted in Linlithgow having midfield position and their intentions clear to hit up through their centres and it was an early missed tackle that lead to their full back being sent through, cleverly kicking over Gareth Williams at full back and winning the race to the ball just inside the dead ball line for the opening try after only 5 minutes.



Accies 0 – Linlithgow 7



Accies stormed back at Linlithgow defying the strong wind in their faces with some strong play mixing backs and forwards and some good return running from Gareth Williams and Mike Hermes. Linlithgow’s defence held just with Accies unable to convert their chances.

Linlithgow weren’t for taking it lying down and continued to press back by driving their play through their centres with Accies back line surprisingly standing back and awaiting the tackle rather than going to meet the runner. This enabled Linlithgow to get midfield position and again a missed tackle allowed the Linlithgow No.12 to run in from 35 metres out with Accies unable to make their tackles stick.



Accies 0 – Linlithgow 14



Stung by this Accies storm back and a half break and kick ahead from Ali McLaren results in, initially, a penalty to Accies under the posts. Bizarrely, Ali McLaren, the smallest man on the park and no street bully, was yellow carded by the referee for a bit of verbal jousting with his opposite number.

With the penalty reversed the chance was lost, albeit temporarily as Accies then proceeded to have their best ten minutes of the match even though a man down with the pack taking responsibility and a series of drives brought the try for Simon Cadwallader.



Accies 5 – Linlithgow 14



The temporary loss of Ali McLaren was to prove costly in the long run as, Ali had been brought in for his goal kicking skills, the conversion was missed and a further penalty from 20 metres out was also missed while he was off the field, albeit into the teeth of the gale, and the half time whistle blew.



With the wind behind them for the second half and the pack destroying the Linlithgow scrum the game was not lost and plenty to go for. Accies opened with intent by kicking long and forcing Linlithgow to run back from deep. To be fair to Linlithgow they showed far more enterprise running the ball back into the wind than they did in the first half and the game became a real contest.

A key moment occurred after 15 minutes when Accies failed to clear their lines from the 22m line instead trying to throw the ball around conceded a penalty in front of the posts and Linlithgow gratefully took the three points.



Accies 5 – Linlithgow 17



It was the time for real heart from Accies and they dragged themselves back into the game with some fearsome scrummaging and driving mauls from the pack resulted in a penalty 20 metres out which Ali McLaren stroked over to cut Linlithgow’s lead.



Accies 8 – Linlithgow 17



Accies still needed two scores to win and went hunting. Bizarrely, a second strange decision occurred from the referee who halted proceedings just as Accies’ flying wing replacement Dougie Horne, having fielded a kick, beaten two men, kicked ahead was set to score, to attend an injured Linlithgow player who was nowhere near the action then restarted the game with a scrum to Accies where the injured player had lain. This correspondent couldn’t see the logic as the injury was not serious and was not near the area of play.



Not to be deterred Accies surged on and following some surging runs from Andy Pogrel, Graeme Simpson drove over for Accies second try converted by Ali Mclaren to set up a nail biting finish.



Accies 15 – Linlithgow 17



In the dying minutes of the game amid the glaur and gloom of midwinter Accies went in search of a penalty kick that would potentially win the game. Linlithgow realising this tried to hold onto the ball to take the sting out of the game and the final few seconds of the game see-sawed as Accies moved the ball around. Well into overtime Accies were awarded a penalty right on halfway. Ali Mclaren bravely stepped up but didn’t have the length of kick to seal the win and Linlithgow cleared to win in a very tight encounter.



Overall, Accies will be disappointed to lose again, despite gaining a losing bonus point, as it was two missed tackles in the first half which led to Linlithgow’s tries and their platform to victory.

Next week sees a very tough fixture as Accies travel to Cupar to play league leaders Howe of Fife.

This article was posted on 9-Dec-2007, 15:04 by Hugh Barrow.