ACCIES STAY ON COURSE……………………….By Gordon Wilson.

If Accies are to have any chance of winning promotion this season, they must win the remainder of their matches, with bonus points. The current positions at the top of the league after today’s matches are as follows.

Played Points
Greenock Wanderers………. 21 …. 93
Glasgow Accies……………... 20 …. 70
Lasswade……………………. 18 …. 62
Kilmarnock…………………. 19 …. 49

Accies headed for Coatbridge yesterday, and a match against Waysiders / Drumpellier on a fine afternoon, which proved to be slippy under foot after the mid-week rain.
Waysiders started strongly, and looked as if they might create problems for Accies. They broke clear after 10 minutes, and should have scored, but the final pass was knocked on, and the chance was missed. However, a couple of minutes later they broke again and scored a fine backs try……… 5 – 0.
Fortunately Accies responded, and started to gain the upper hand, taking play well into Waysider’s half. After 17 minutes, a backs’ thrust on the left found Mike Hermes coming over from his right wing position to take a beautiful inside pass and slice through the W/D defence for a try which Ali McLaren converted. ……….5 – 7.
The Accies revival continued, and after a 30 yard drive by the pack, Kenny Beattie forced his way over for a well taken try in the 22nd. minute, for Ali McLaren to convert…5 – 14.
After 25 minutes Craig Wright on the left wing sustained a shoulder injury, and was replaced by Andrew Smart, in his first season out of school, and playing in only his third match. He performed well throughout, taking clean takes on every high ball directed at him. The W/D backs looked strong and dangerous on occasion, but their no.12 was sin binned for a late tackle in the 30th. minute, and Accies had flanker Claudio Urra yellow-carded some 5 minutes later for a similar offence. The half finished …………..5 – 14. The referee, an army man, controlled the game firmly, and well, making it perfectly clear that he wasn’t going to stand any nonsense. Latterly in the match this proved to be to our advantage, as W/D’s continual indiscipline led to Accies being awarded numerous penalties.
In the 45th.minute Ali McLaren landed a good penalty as the result of one of those indiscretions. …Score……….5 – 17.
Claudio Urra returned from the ‘sin-bin’, and within a couple of minutes was involved in a further score. After another 30 yard rolling maul which took play to the W/D line, Richard McKnight at scrum-half, broke, and slipped the ball to Claudio who crashed over for an unconverted try......Score……5 – 22.
Prop David Calder received a head knock, and was replaced by Matt Franklin.
By this time, W/D were only wanting to spoil the play, and Accies were in control, and in the ascendancy. Claudio Urra, having taken an ankle knock in scoring his try, was replaced by Sandy Fitzpatrick, the veteran ‘galloping Major’, who slipped into the second row to partner Steve Begley, allowing Jack Walker to revert to his favoured no.6 berth.
In the backs, Brad Bell at full-back had been a safe pair of hands throughout, and made some powerful, and telling bursts, coming into the back-line with real effect.
The W/D players were growing more and more frustrated as the game went on, ignoring the referee’s continual warnings,… which led to some unsporting criticism from the home support, of his decision-making.
Accies, on the odd occasion, seemed on the brink of retaliatory action, but happily held their control, and were rewarded with their fourth try in the 70th.minute, to ensure the bonus point . It came from a maul close to the W/D line, which saw prop Matt Franklin barging over from close range. Ali McLaren added the conversion…….. score… 5 - 29.
A few minutes later, W/D took play out of their own half, and a good backs’ move saw their big centre slicing through Accies stretched defence, to score a nice try under the posts, the conversion took the score to ……… 12 – 29.
In the 73rd.minute the W/D no.4 was yellow-carded for up-ending our line-out jumper, and as the home team’s indiscipline continued, Accies were awarded a penalty try .
Score…….12 – 36.
In the closing minutes, team captain, Jamie Doig, added a further try, making a forceful run down the right touchline, from 25 yards out to score in the corner.
Accies had a very good all-round performance, and fully deserved their win.
FINAL SCORE : - 12 – 41.
ACCIES MAN – OF – THE MATCH………….BRAD BELL.
All in all, this was a good win, which keeps Lasswade under some pressure in third place in the League. Accies lead them by 8 points, with 2 matches to play. However Lasswade still have 4 matches to play.
If Accies can continue to win their matches with bonus points, there is still the possibility of promotion.
Our final 2 matches are ‘away’. Next week’s match is at Kilmarnock…...K/o ..3.00pm.

YOUR SUPPORT WOULD BE REALLY APPRECIATED.

Gordon Wilson.

This article was posted on 4-Apr-2010, 06:28 by Hugh Barrow.