Another Good Saturday for Accies

Glasgow Accies 38 Caithness 8

New Anniesland

Saturday 12th December 2009

Both Accies 1st XV and 2nd XV recorded four-try bonus point victories at New Anniesland on Saturday. The 1st XV scored six tries against a stuffy Caithness while the 2nd XV scored a last minute try by Gary Smith to beat old rivals West of Scotland by 27-20 to maintain their unbeaten record and a 12th straight win.

On a bitterly cold but windless day Accies clearly decided from the start that attack was the best form of defence and threw the ball around with gay abandon. It simply rippled from side to side for twenty minutes as all the threequarters and a few of the forwards got in on the act. During this spell we witnessed the most enterprising back play from the side this season and it was great to watch. It paid off as well, for Accies lead by 10-0 by the 17th minute by scoring two tries.

In the 6th minute Accies attacked from deep inside their own 22 and this lead to a series of close range attacks that were finally successful when Brad Bell broke through the last tackle to score close in to the posts.

The running attacking play continued thanks in part to the opposition kicking away possession. Each time Brad Bell the full back, who had a superb game under the high ball throughout the match, caught it and ran it back before linking up with his fellow threequarters. In the 17th minute this ploy succeeded when from quick ruck ball the ball was spun wide through three pairs of hands before it reached Dougie Horne who stepped inside his opposite number before touching down.

If Accies could have kept up this pace and quality of handling it might have been a landslide victory but it was not to be. Two lengthy stoppages for injuries to Caithness players broke up the continuity. Sadly Kris Hamilton, their extremely talented Scotland Under 19 scrum half had to retire with a head knock sustained when he bravely tried to stop Cruz single handedly when he was on one of his rampaging runs. A mismatch at any time especially noticeable when you look at the players together.

The 10-minute stoppage seemed to galvanise Caithness as it gave them time to gather their thoughts and target the areas in which they were strong. Slowly but surely they began to reel the Accies pack in. They competed with them at all phases of the forward play and Accies were gradually denied good quality ball.

In the 32nd minute they took play into the Accies 22 where they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts that they duly kicked.

10-3.

Gradually Accies stepped up the pressure again and were awarded three lineouts in a row five metres from the Caithness line. The first two they made a hash of but from the third they controlled the throw in and fed the ball back to Cruz who crashed over from five metres. Ben Wilkinson rediscovered his kicking boots and slotted over a wide kick for a 17-3 lead that was to last till half time.

The first part of the second half proved to be a bit turgid with neither side able to do anything spectacular other than solid defending.

Entering the final quarter the game burst to life again and suddenly Accies were sparked up again by a superb try to warm even the coldest day. Accies won the ball deep inside their own half on the right hand side. It rippled along the back division to Stewart Smith who gave a long miss pass out to Dougie Horne who whistled past his opposite number. He still had a lot to do but cut inside neatly and wrong footed the remaining defenders. From there it was a straight run in to the posts. Ben Wilkinson converted for 24 –3 and the bonus point.

This seemed to spark Caithness into life and their forward were giving the Accies pack a torrid time. They took the ball deep into the Accies half and a clever cross kick from their teenage standoff found three attackers unmarked. The centre won the race to the touch down just before it reached the dead ball line.

24-8.

With 10 minutes remaining Accies stepped up the pace once more. Andy Jackson took quick penalty seven or eight metres from the line and fed Dougie Horner. The tricky little centre dummied past two defenders to score under the posts. Ben Wilkinson converted again for 31-8.

With the final movement of the game Accies scored another well constructed try.

The ball was worked down the right touchline with Jack Walker, Mike Hermes and Stewart Smith all in the action before it was released to Craig Wright, who had come across from the other wing. He was in the clear and he ran in from thirty metres for a try under the posts. Ben Wilkinson kicked his 4th conversion for a final score of 38-8.

This was a good performance by Accies against opponents who never gave up and matched them toe to toe in the forward exchanges. It was also revenge for the defeat in Thurso in September.

Accies were missing regulars Steve Begley, Richard McKnight and captain Jamie Doig who were all attending Paul Allen’s wedding.

Dougie Horne was the ‘an Cnoc’ man of the match for his two try effort but it must have been a close call with Andy Jackson for the number of tackles he put in and Brad Bell who was so secure under the high ball.

There appeared to be no injury worries from today’s game and Accies should have a full strength squad to pick from for next Saturday’s vital clash with Greenock Wanderers at Fort Matilda.

This article was posted on 12-Dec-2009, 19:09 by Hugh Barrow.