"GHK edge it in Cup thriller"
 
The wind blew quite a lot last week and quite a lot of things got blown over, trees, walls, bus shelters, trucks on bridges and GHK's Goal Posts which meant that the twice cancelled shield fixture was rearranged and played at New Anniesland.
 
It was cold and breezy as the teams kicked off but Accies had the fire in their belly's as they stormed out of the blocks, with the wind at their backs, looking to make an early impression and get a victory over GHK for the first time this season.
 
It took 15 minutes for Accies to get their first points as the pressure was taking it's toll on GHK. Stephen O'Donnell delivered the kick to put Accies ahead.
Accies pressed on again looking for the next score and came close on a couple of occassions with flying wing Andrew Brown coming close and a couple of Stu Smith breaks from stand off looking promising but Accies couldn't get the final pass away to get the score.
 
On the 30 minute mark Accies hard work paid off as they used the wind to keep the ball in GHK's half and create pressure and a second Stephen O'Donnell kick stretched Accies lead to 6 - 0.
Not that it was all one way traffic, playing into the strong breeze GHK's only option was to run the ball and they ran it well stretching Accies defence with their direct running and spreading it wide as the opportunity arose, indeed Accies were fortunate to hit half time leading 6 - 0 as GHK went searching for their first score but Accies scramble defence held, just at times but held all the same.
 
The second half was going to be much harder for Accies as they played into the strong breeze and now GHK were able to use the elements to pin Accies back in their own half. GHK opened their account with a penalty to close the lead to 6 - 3 and then they stepped it up a notch and the game continued at high pace.
 
As the second half continued both teams played some excellent rugby with, admittedly, defences coming out on top but none the less it was exciting rugby to watch.
GHK seemed to have the upper hand but, quite frankly, managed to butcher about 4 or 5 clear cut chances for tries as Accies' scrambling, passionate defence held them at bay.
The second half was entering the final ten minutes and it looked as though Accies would hold out and take the spoils. However, a penalty to GHK with 5 minutes to go saw them draw level and then remarkably score the games only try a minute later as a speculative chip and chase was scooped up by GHK's centre and they were ahead 11 - 6 with barely a couple of minutes left.
 
What followed was 10 minutes of quite incredible rugby from Accies as they kept the play going through at least 15 phases of play in the search for the equalizing try to take the tie into extra time. The ball went close, then wide, to the right and then back to the left and back again and again as Accies probed and searched for the opening that would yield the try. Sadly after 10 minutes of pulsating rugby there was a knock on, the ball spilled and GHK gratefully hoofed it into touch to close the game.

This article was originally posted on 8-Jan-2012, 22:47 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 8-Jan-2012, 22:53.