GHK v Oban Lorne Match Preview


This Saturday Oban make the long journey to Glasgow to face GHK at Balgray. The hosts haven't been beaten at home since October 2nd 2004, a narrow to defeat to now National 4 Waysiders, and will not be wanting to tarnish that record. Oban's fantastic home record was ended last season by a superb GHK performance and a bit of revenge may be on the cards. GHK, however, have a 100% record this season and sit top of the league and must win to remain ahead of closet challengers Marr who face a seemingly straightforward trip to struggling Clydebank.

Oban, after a cracking league leading start to the season have fallen away slightly from the title chase having lost 3 on the bounce. This statistic should prove meaningless as games between these 2 good rugby playing teams are always tight encounters.

Squad News

Unfortunately captain Olly Jones is out due to a possible fractured fibia. His place is ably taken by Dave Fearnley. Other than that the backs remain the same as the set that took Hillhead apart last week. In the pack, Jason Carlin replaces Ewan MacDonald in the only other change to the starting XV from last week. Colin Donald makes a welcome return to the bench from his holiday, illness, injury and other holiday... Young flanker Fraser McKinven has been rewarded for some phenomenal performances with the captaincy for the first time.

Team
15 C Little, 14 C McElroy, 13 A Smeaton, 12 D Fearnley, 11 A McTavish, 10 J Millan, 9 G Rand, 8 F Wallace, 7 F McKinven, 6 A McLemon, 5 N Cram, 4 N Gilmartin, 3 A Forbes, 2 G Reid, 1 J Carlin

16 C Donald, 17 tba, 18 tba

The game kicks off at 3pm at Balgray, not Old Anniesland. Support is welcome and would be a nice warm up to the cocktail party in the evening at the clubhouse (reminder - £5 a ticket, 7.30pm start, includes a free cocktail...and remember your cocktail outift!!!).

GR

This article was posted on 21-Oct-2005, 10:07 by Hugh Barrow.