Accies bounce back!
 
On a gluey, heavy pitch Accies bounced back to form with a well deserved victory in the Coatbridge gloom. Despite the 2pm kick-off it was still dark and gloomy and, despite WD’s best efforts over the years, the heavy clay undersoil means the pitch is heavy and, apart from midsummer, this means boot studs fill up with mud and “top of the ground running rugby” is more difficult.
 
Not that this, or the seven changes to last weeks team, seemed to bother Accies as they tore out of the blocks, looking to make up for last weeks poor performance against Newton Stewart.
Indeed, Accies opened the scoring after just 5 minutes. Lineout ball on WD’s 22, was zipped out, to the right, to the backs and Robert Beattie zoomed in from the left wing into the outside centre position took the pass, swerved inside and out, hit the gas and dived in for the opening score converted by Stephen O’Donnell. 0 – 7
 
WD were not for lying down and muscled their way back into the game, using their big, heavy pack as the blunt, yet effective, instrument and 20 minutes later they got their reward as their “pick and drive and maul game” bore fruit to score their first try. 5 – 7
 
Accies struck back 5 minutes later as a smart lineout move and interplay with Kenneth Beattie saw Matteo Giovannazzi dive over in the corner for Accies second try. Stephen O’Donnell had found his kicking boots and stroked it over from the touchline to give Accies some breathing space until half time. HT: 5 – 14
 
Accies got their third try of the day after 10 minutes of the second half. Ross Chassels (former Club Captain, now captaining the 2’s) rolled back the years bursting through the centres on a great line from good scrum ball on WD’s 22m line. Moving at serious speed he wrong footed the WD defence and was in for the try under the posts converted by Stephen O’Donnell. 5 – 21
 
Anyone who has played at WD knows they are doughty fighters to the end and so it proved as they clawed their way back into the game with the tried and tested “pick’n’drive & maul” gameplan. Given the heavy pitch it’s difficult to defend against as eager hands on the floor usually result in penalties and after a series of mauls, drives and a couple of scrums, WD’s Kiwi scrum-half dove over for their second try from close range. 12 – 21
 
The game was moving into a different phase as Accies were working out the “hit and run” strategy much better and struck back immediately. A scrum following the re-start led to quick ball zipped down the line to Robert Beattie, with time and space on the outside to run into. His early pass back inside to the ever eager Stu Smith saw Stu power over from 10m out for Accies bonus point try. 12 – 26
 
Accies nearly scored again immediately from the restart. A sublime Stuart Seaton break from halfway saw him run 35m and pop the pass to the flying Ross Chassels. Somehow Ross got stopped inches short of the line but the resultant pressure saw Stephen O’Donnell chip over a penalty to stretch Accies lead.
 
Now it was all Accies, and they scored again as WD began to tire. A good No.8 pick up from Kenneth Beattie and quick ball from the following ruck saw scrum half Ben Semple give the dummy pass and break for the try line to stretch Accies out of sight. S O’D converting 12 – 36
 
With the game won and the clock winding down Accies relaxed a tad and WD had pride and following a series of rucks and mauls their scrum half dove over for the closing score of the game.
 
Full Time: WD 17 – Accies 36
 
Summary: The game, for Accies, was a classic “hit and run” style performance on a gluey, heavy pitch against a big pack. Accies delivered 5 try’s, a winning bonus point and can be generally satisfied after 7 changes to last weeks team. Your scribes’ Man of the Match wUas probably edged by Ross Chassels as he rolled back the years with a terrific performance from full back, full of composure, derring-do when the opportunity arose and a super try just edging it. Special mention also goes to the front row. Chris McAlpine, an unsung hero in this game as he found the answers in the scrum against much bigger men which gave Accies the platform for nearly all their try’s. Matteo Giovannazzi who just seems to sniff out try’s whenever he plays and player coach Elliot McLaren, adding a touch of composure, and a penchant for hanging around in the backline, to the front row. Finally, a special mention for Graeme Simpson, another unsung hero who put in numerous “big hits” as WD tried to break the line…

This article was posted on 19-Nov-2011, 20:51 by Hugh Barrow.