ACCIES  VS  ALLAN  GLEN’S  …..  BISHOPBRIGGS   SAT. 22nd.OCT. 2011
 
   Match report by Gordon Wilson and Gavin Smith, in the absence of regular ‘scribe’, Stevie Winter.
 
                                             POSSESSION,     BUT  FEW  POINTS……………...
 
            Accies will be bitterly disappointed to have lost this close encounter,  …  such was the amount of possession they had.
            It was basic errors and an inability to read and adapt their game in the temporary absence of their coach, Ewan Smith, that led to Saturday’s defeat at Bishopbriggs.
            Unfortunately, scrum half and ‘Mr Reliable’, Stephen O’Donnell had an ‘off day’, as did his outside half, Cameron McCall, with the windy conditions making their partnership difficult. Good tactical kicking was what was required in the circumstances.
            Glen’s in the first half played with the wind, downhill, and away from the clubhouse, and quickly took the opportunity to kick the ball into Accies 22, where a clearance kick was charged down, and Glens grabbed the initiative from the resultant loose scrum, to barge over for a try close to the posts.
SCORE.. 7 – 0.
            Accies were actually in control of much of the play, except in the set scrums, where a powerful Glen’s pack dominated for much of theY match.  On numerous occasions the Glen’s back row, led by ex-Hawks player, Mark Sitch, were able to harass scrum-half Stephen O’Donnell,  … and the referee was rather lenient with the off-side rule, and with players coming ‘in from the side’, and Accies failed to tie up these intrusions.
            Accies back line, even without regular winger, Mike Hermes, was clearly the more threatening, and should have played a bigger part in controlling the match, but some bizarre decisions by Accies prevented them from scoring.   A penalty opportunity won some 35 yards out was spurned, instead electing to kick to touch. In the windy conditions, the kick sadly was wasted with the ball going the wrong side of the corner flag, for a Glen’s drop-out. However, a few minutes later, another penalty was won, some 40 yards out, and this time the goal attempt fell short!!  
 
            Glen’s succeeded with a penalty attempt before half time, and turned round, leading .. 10 – 0.
 
            With a tough second half tussle in prospect, Accies seemed to lose their ‘presence of mind’, choosing not to use the advantage of the second-half wind conditions to gain tactical territorial control, nor did they elect to get the ball wide, where their better backs might have found scoring opportunities, and at the same time, could have taken the steam out of the heavier Glen’s pack.
             Early in the second half Stephen O’Donnell struck with two penalties, taking the score to 10 – 6.
             The Glen’s forwards were desperately trying to smother any Accies attacks, and it seemed likely that it would only be a matter of time before Accies would score, however, much against the run of play, and on one of their few sorties into Accies 22, weak defence allowed them to scamper through for a converted try.     SCORE  ..  17 – 6.
              With 10 minutes remaining, Accies certainly didn’t give up, and after pounding the Glen’s line for some minutes, Jamie Doig barged over for a try converted by Stephen O’Donnell.   SCORE… 17 – 13.
              Accies had their tails up, and in the final 5 minutes did all they could, to clinch a winning try, but it wasn’t to be, only a losing bonus point.
FINAL  SCORE ..   17 – 13.

This article was posted on 25-Oct-2011, 15:20 by Hugh Barrow.