Hillhead 3-62 GHK

GHK travelled about 500 yards from Old Anniesland to play against Hillhead at Strathclyde University’s Jordanhill campus. With last weeks Scottish Cup game being cancelled, the GHK squad were looking forward to the game and with the knowledge that rivals Marr had a tough home fixture against Cumbernauld were hoping to secure the bonus point and play some attractive running rugby.

Jamie Millan returned to the flyhalf jersey with Captain Olly Jones moving one out to replace centre Dave Fearnley. Experienced forward Ryan Welsh was unavailable so Ali Forbes moved across the scrum and Gordi Reid filled the hooker position and GHK welcomed back the experience of Cammy Little to fullback in place of Rory Love.

The game started with GHK on the attack with some good runs by wingers McTavish and McIllroy but some good defence kept the score board blank until a scrum 5m out from the home line allowed a backs move that found McIllroy to take a short ball from Jones to go over for the opener. The GHK forwards were dominating their opposition and it did not take long for GHK to get another try when an effective catch and drive allowed prop Forbes to speed over for a try, converted by Millan.

From a lineout on halfway, GHK ran a team training ground move which allowed Fraser McKinven to punch a big hole in midfield and from the resulting ruck, Millan went blind and danced through and around three tackles before diving in at the corner for the third try. Everyone thought that the bonus point was sewn up straight from the kick off with some great offloading by Wallace,McKinven and Little before Smeaton stepped a couple of defenders to feed 2nd row Nick Cram who galloped into the posts but the ref had judged the final pass to be forward but it did not take long for this to be rectified. A quickly taken penalty was taken and moved wide for McIllroy to squeeze in at the corner flag for his brace. Hillhead scored a penalty with the last kick off the half, so it turned around 3-22.

From the start of the 2nd period, GHK were attacking and some strong runs from Jones, McKinven and Forbes came to nothing with the ball not quite going to hand in the final pass but the pressure lead to a penalty that Millan took to himself and went on his own to score a copy of his first to weave his way past some poor tackles to score a try that he too converted. From the restart, GHK scored the best try of the game when Wallace fielded the kick and moved it wide and some superb handling by Jones and Smeaton set free Little who sped down the line and fed McIllroy inside who sped away for his hatrick score converted by Millan.

Smeaton was next on the score sheet when McLemon laid a good platform at the lineout and Smeaton came back on the angle to score at the posts, converted by Millan. Andy McTavish then scored two tries in quick succession when he sped down the wing for his first then found himself in with the forwards to receive a lovely no look pass from McFarlane to dive over, both were converted by Millan.

Then as the clock counted down, replacement winger Sean Murray scored on debut for GHK after some good play on the left hand side, a moment that he celebrated long into the night.
The game finished 3-62 with the complete 80-minute performance the coaches had been looking for in the build up to next week’s game against Oban Lorne at Balgray. Added to this great result was the fact that Marr did not manage the bonus point win against Cumbernauld which leaves GHK four points clear at the top of the league.

After Saturday’s home game against Oban, the club are hosting a Cocktail night in the pavilion, which is sure to be a great night. Tickets are £5 and can be bought on the door. Everyone is welcome both to support during the day and to hopefully celebrate in the evening.

Team : Little, McIllroy, Smeaton, Jones, McTavish, Millan, Rand, Wallace, McLemon, McKinven, Gilmartin, Cram, Forbes, Reid, McDonald, McFarlane, Alexander, Murray
Man of the Match – Ewan McDonald

This article was posted on 17-Oct-2005, 17:50 by Hugh Barrow.