After the tough league match last week it was an even tougher cup match this week. We were up against Dumfries who are currently 2nd top in National League 1 – 3 leagues above us!
For the record this was one of the best games I’ve seen at any level for quite some time!
The game was scheduled for 3pm under the floodlights on the big pitch – many thanks to Graeme and his staff for the great condition of the main pitch.
The day started well with the very very very last Ladies Christmas Lunch – and jolly tasty it was too. An added bonus for GHK was the considerable number of vociferous lunch refugees/supporters – the players were mightily lifted by the din.
What a great start to the game: a clever kick through from a line out by Mike Aird put us deep into Dumfries 22. From the scrummage we whipped the ball beautifully through the hands and Kerr Gossman nipped over in the corner for a great try. No conversion. 5 minutes gone and GHK 5 – 0.
The line out was not functioning particularly well as Scott’s throwing was a bit rusty as he’d been absent from hooker for quite a few games and Darcy was missing after an incident involving his bonce and a pavement after Glasgow Uni daft Friday – how aptly named! Even Stranraer’s finest was no match for a Glasgow pavement!
By contrast, the loose play at breakdown was terrific and all the boys deserve huge praise for their courage and determination in winning loose ball. They were up against a bigger more experienced pack but just would not give them an inch.
Robbie Stewart’s kicking from hand was on the money and his long clearances eased the pressure on numerous occasions.
It was only after the half hour that Dumfries spent any time in our half and in only their first foray into our 22 they earned a penalty which was duly converted 5 – 3.
Disco, Andy McT and Mike Borthwick were all over the place and their combined efforts gave us a penalty chance just before half time – it was missed but we were in control of the game.

The second half started where we left off with Disco breenging up the middle to half way and Robbie kicking us deep into the Dumfries 22.
Defensively all our boys were outstanding with no one giving an inch and as, inevitably, Dumfries began to exert some presure, we needeed to put them down and did. Andy Fleming pulled off one outstanding tackle at this dangerous stage of the game but he was by no means alone – Mike Aird made life extremely uncomfortable for his opposite number all day.
The Dumfries backs were getting more into the game and looking quite dangerous but the final passes just would not stick. This allied to our stout defence (their big centres got chopped every time) gave us a chances to clear into the Dumfries half and Robbie duly obliged.
Continuing harrying and pressure from our back row kept Dumfries penned in and their next foray into our half saw a fairly desperate attempt at a drop goal – rattled perhaps?
Despite heroic efforts from everyone, a penaly for a high tackle gave Dumfries a shot at goal and the resultant conversion was the last score of the game. Final score GHK 5 – Dumfries 6.
So the score says we lost but this scribe saw 19 GHK winnners out there. This was an extremely mature, spirited and disciplined performance against a team that on paper should have won comfortably. Well done Charlie, Ken and all the players.

This article was posted on 22-Dec-2008, 08:37 by Hugh Barrow.