ACCIES BEAT A HIGHLAND SIDE INCLUDING BY EX`HAWK MIKE WHITEFORD 21-0

Highland 0 Glasgow Accies 21

Canal Park, Inverness

Saturday 22nd November 2008-11-22


It is a long way to Canal Park Inverness on a freezing Saturday, especially when you have to leave Glasgow at 7am in the morning for a 12-15 pm SRU dictated kick off.

However it is a darn sight shorter when you come back with four winning points in the bag.

This was one of Accies better displays and certainly their best away from home this season.

Highland away from home is one of the tougher fixtures in the list especially as they are usually at full strength and know how to play their cloying pitch that makes it so difficult to run on.

In essence Accies dominated this game for most of the time and by and large kept their opponents outside their 22 except for penalty goal attempts of which there were many (more information later).

This game was probably won by the strength of Accies tackling as time and again their opponents were driven back by the power of tackles from Andy Jackson, Ryan Moseby, Stewart Smith, Cruz, Jack Walker and finally Chris Wright, who came on in the second half as a replacement for Graeme Simpson.

The first quarter was fairly evenly contested with the only real activity being surging runs by Ryan Moseby and Mike Hermes for Accies and a series of penalty awards for Highland that helped keep them in Accies half of the field.

In the 35th minute the deadlock was finally broken. Andy Jackson flattened the no.10 and then the inside centre in two quick fire tackles in the middle of the field. These caused the ball to spring loose and Stewart Smith hacked on deep into the Highland 22. Ryan Moseby carried it on until it pooped up into his arms and he dived over for his first try for Accies. This was highly appropriate as he leaves for home in New Zealand tomorrow as his father has a back injury and help is urgently needed on their farm, as this is the lambing season.

Gareth Williams knocked over the conversion for a 7-0 lead that was held for the remainder of the half. That it stayed that way was a surprise, as Highland had no fewer than 4 penalties attempts at goal in the three minutes before the half time whistle all of which were missed from short range.

Fortunately Accies managed to keep their cool despite the bizarre refereeing. In the 40 minutes Accies were penalised no fewer than 12 times but nobody was yellow carded. Many of the decision were baffling to the supporters of both sides.

Within 10 minutes of the start of the second half Accies virtually sealed the result with an exquisite try. Matt Smith picked up from the base of the ruck and surged forward before releasing the ball to Richard McKnight. Richard made more ground before delivering a perfect pass to intruding full back, Gareth Williams who in turn found Mike Hermes on his inside. He turned on the after burners and ran in unopposed for a try at the side of the posts. Gareth Williams again obliged with the kick for a 14-0 lead.

At this stage Accies were well on top and could have scored again. Matteo Giovanazzi intercepted, just inside his own half, with nobody in front of him but after a great run his little legs were just too short and he was hauled down short of the line despite a great effort by Cruz to get to his side.

Accies now had the four try bonus point in sight and it came nearer when Matt Smith picked up from a scrum and ran in unopposed from less than 10 metres. Gareth Williams converted to increase the margin to 21-0.

Despite numerous other attempts, usually thwarted by the referee awarding a penalty against Accies, they could not get that last try. Incidentally Accies conceded 20 penalties but not one when Pete Meiklem was yellow carded for persistent offending when he had been on the field for less than five minutes as a replacement.

It was a pity that the bonus point was not gained but nevertheless this was a powerful performance from backs and forwards that hopefully will be maintained for the rest of the season.

Next Saturday Accies are on a revenge mission to overturn the surprise defeat at Fort Matilda. The game against Greenock wanderers kicks off at 2pm at New Anniesland.

This article was originally posted on 22-Nov-2008, 18:50 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 22-Nov-2008, 23:31.