GHK ground out another important, hard earned win against a very competent and determined Newton Stewart side who had arrived in Glasgow on a five game winning streak and who would be justified in feeling that they deserved to go home with more than a losing bonus point, perhaps just lacking the necessary cutting edge to finish off some of the chances which their pressure created.

The early portents weren’t good as GHK knocked on straight from the kick off, a feat which they were to repeat later. GHK also conceded two early kickable penalties the first of which resulted in a sclaff from the Newton Stewart kicker but he made amends with his second to give the visitors an early advantage.

With the match switched to Balgray to take advantage of its normally excellent playing surface GHK hoped to be able to play their running game. However, the huge amount of rain recently had taken its toll even here with the pitch heavy and more conducive to a forward based game.

There were a few promising passages of play put together by the home side with good hands in evidence but the final pass or a wrong option taken meant that it was almost half way through the half before GHK got on the scoreboard with a move which started with a clean catch and drive from the forwards, a dart from Mike Aird at scrum half and good lines in the backs allowing Tony Herron to go over in the corner.

David Reed converted from the touchline to begin an impressive day of place kicking by the stand off who had a one hundred per cent success rate with two conversions and two penalties.

Shortly after Neil Kiltie came on for his last game before heading off on his antipodean travels. All the best from everyone at the club and hopefully someone will be available to translate for Neil when necessary!

GHK managed a penalty on one their few visits to the Newton Stewart 22 and then defended with their usual steely determination to keep the visitors out despite some sustained pressure before the end of the half to leave the score at 10-3.

Newton Stewart narrowed the gap with a penalty for offside early in the half and their pack were exerting an increasing influence, particularly in the scrum and with their close quarter driving game which they executed efficiently and effectively.

Reed again increased the gap to 7 with another well struck penalty but Newton Stewart were soon back on the attack and exerted real pressure on a GHK scrum 5 to drive over for 13-11 with GHK relieved that the conversion was missed.

GHK’s Mr Consistent Mike Borthwick, who had another man of the match performance, then played a huge part in the game’s decisive phase first intercepting a pass on the opposition 22 and driving to within a metre from where GHK were awarded a penalty which they elected to tap quickly with Borthwick being on the spot to plunge over with the conversion giving GHK a vital two-score cushion at 20-11 with fifteen minutes to play.

Andy Fleming, on for Tony Herron, put in a couple of good clearance kicks and injected pace into the back division.

However, Newton Stewart kept pressing to the end and, in a mirror of the start of the game, converted one of two chances to gain their well deserved bonus point and leave the final score at 20-14.

This was another game, and there have been a few recently, where GHK have had to dig really deep to maintain their unbeaten record. Victories have been hard fought and have only been achieved through the collective will and effort of the whole 18 players involved each match day. In the league this now places GHK behind Marr on points difference but with a game in hand.

The next two games are also against teams from the south west with first Stewartry away this Saturday followed by Annan at OA on 29 January.
This article was originally posted on 17-Jan-2012, 00:05 by Ronnie Gourley.

This article was posted on 17-Jan-2012, 21:10 by Hugh Barrow.