Hawick YM 17 Glasgow Accies 37
Mansefield Haugh
SHE National League Division 2
Saturday 17th April 2010

Accies finish the season with a flourish

Not many Glasgow Accies sides, if any, have travelled to Hawick and scored 37 points but this one had the confidence and flair not to be intimidated by playing a border side. This game was a tinder box waiting to explode but fortunately it stayed calm until the final minute when an almighty fracas broke out involving virtually all the players and some spectators as it spilled over the touchline, but more of that later,
There was a strong breeze blowing down the ground from the Mansefield Park end of the ground and Accies had the advantage of it in the first half. Straight from the start this big Hawick side were really fired up and wanted to show the city slickers a thing or two about borders rugby. Within five minutes their rolling maul had driven Accies back over their own line for an unconverted try. It looked ominous as the Hawick pack seemed to have the upper hand and it was going to be a long afternoon. However the concerns were unfounded because these days this Accies pack has enough experience and gravitas in the likes of Steve Begley, Sandy Fitzpatrick, Graeme Simpson and Andy Jackson that they are quite capable of handling themselves in most situations. The younger players around them are learning fast and the eight, in the second half of the season, have become a formidable unit. They simply upped their game and the danger was quickly overcome.
Straight from the restart they pinned Hawick back in their own 22 and in the 7th minute Ali McLaren kicked a penalty for 5-3.
For the remainder of the half Ali McLaren used his huge boot beautifully, one touch finder was all of 70 metres and time after time he nudged Hawick back deep into their own half.
Accies were now winning ball and the powerful running of their back division
was causing trouble on both sides of the field. In the 13th minute Accies took the lead and were never behind again in the game. Two rucks just outside the 22 were won and with quick delivery of the ball Accies punched a hole in the centre of the defence. Richard McKnight found Jamie Doig with an inside pass and the big centre surged through to the line for a good try. Ali McLaren converted for a 5-10 lead.
In the 21st minute Accies went further ahead with a bizarre try. Jamie Doig went in to tackle his opposite number and simply stripped the ball out of his hand and slipped it to Richard McKnight who found his unmarked winger Andy Smart with the pass. The young wing strode over in the corner unchallenged to increase the lead to 5-15.
The Hawick kick off failed to go 10 metres and Accies opted for a scrum. Graeme Simpson the No 8 picked up at the base of the scrum and fed it scrum half Richard McKnight. In this planned move it normally goes wide to right winger Mike Hermes but in this instance Richard McKnight found full back Brad Bell close on his shoulder. The powerful running American opened up the first line of defence and passed to Mike Hermes who had cleverly come infield from his wing berth took the pass and raced through to the posts for a try converted by Ali McLaren. This was a superbly constructed try and very difficult to defend once the close defence has been breached. It is a demonstration of the confidence the Accies backs have generated since the New Year. 5-22
This Hawick side were not going to lie down and although it seemed unlikely that they would score through their back division their forwards were a powerful unit and time after time made ground with their excellent technique in the rolling mauls. In the 32nd minute one of these drives proved to be successful and they scored a try that was converted. 12-22. With the wind against them in the second half this was far to close for comfort especially as Sandy Fitzpatrick had to withdraw with a shoulder injury. Jack Walker who had come onto the bench following the late call off by Kenny Beattie who also had a shoulder injury replaced him.
Right on the stroke of halftime Accies improved the situation when Stewart Smith used his bulk and pace to roar over the line from a short pass. Ali McLaren converted to take Accies ahead at halftime by 12-29.
The Accies support on the touchline wondered if this would be enough such was the wind. They need not have worried because within 3 minutes of the restart Accies scored again and what a try it was. Ali Mclaren made a superb break from his own 22 and surged up field to beyond the halfway line where he found the rest of the Accies backs in support. Three passes later it went to Brad Bell and he raced over in the corner for an unconverted try 12-34
There was one more worrying moment for Accies when, in the 62nd minute, Steve Begley was yellow carded for pulling down a rolling maul and from the subsequent penalty kicked into the corner the Hawick second row forward burst through the depleted defence for a try 17-34.
Graeme Simpson then had to leave the field with an injury and was replaced by prop forward Matt Franklin who had to play out of position.
For the remainder of the half Accies defended stoutly.
Finally in what proved to be the last minute of the game Stewart Smith broke away up the left touchline he had Andrew Smart on his outside and a try looked certain when he was felled by the Hawick full back with an outrageous high tackle that took him off his feet. A red card and a penalty try seemed to be the logical outcome but it was the signal for a brawl involving nearly all the players. It seemed to have stopped but restarted when the Hawick tight head prop restarted it and spectators got pulled over the surrounding rope. Eventually it died down and the prop was red carded.
From the penalty Accies kicked it into the corner and won the lineout. It was fed along the line and Brad Bell romped over under the posts for what looked like a good try but before he reached that point the referee blew his whistle, stopped the game and yellow carded one of the Hawick second row forwards for saying something unsavoury. Accies were awarded a penalty under the posts that Ali McLaren duly kicked for 17-37. The referee then sensibly blew the final whistle to bring the game to an end without playing injury time.
This was a display of great character by this Accies side. Early in the season it was said that if the back division eventually clicked someone was going to get a tanking. It happened and in the last four games over 40 points a game have been scored. It is no coincidence that this occurred when Ali McLaren came into the side at stand off and made the berth his own. His running, kicking and handling have given his outside backs room to move and consequently their game has become much more dynamic.
The pity is that we cannot rewind the clock and replay the wretched start to the season when four of the first five games were lost because it seems unlikely that Accies will be promoted. Yesterday Lasswade won again with a bonus and although they are eight points behind Accies in the league table they have two games in hand both of which are at home.
It has been a great effort all round and we can look forward to next season with some confidence

This article was posted on 18-Apr-2010, 10:01 by Hugh Barrow.