Okay, let’s deal with the rainbows first. Yes, not one but two rainbows put in an appearance at Saturday’s game. Players on both sides may have been too engrossed in the fiercely contested match but those of us spectating could not fail to be impressed by the beauty of the natural wonder of the double rainbow that graced the heavens over the south side of Glasgow. The parallels between such a rare event and GHK dropping points in the league was not lost on your scribe and I can’t help, in a rare poetic/dementia induced moment (take your pick) that the tantalising proximity of the ‘end of the rainbow’ - as it appeared to finish in the East Kilbride Sports Club car park – may prove to be a metaphor for GHK’s season with the proverbial ‘pot of gold’ remaining just out of reach. And yet….


Anyway, to the more prosaic matter of the game itself which was preceded East Kilbride hosting the GHK P6s and it was great to see the boys and their parents and coaches stay on to support the’ big team’ Great stuff!

The first half, frankly, belonged to EK. They looked sharper, were much more physical in contact and well merited their two tries and a penalty with GHK perhaps fortunate to stay in touch with a well struck drop goal from Davy Reed and an Andy Fleming penalty keeping them within striking distance at 6-13 down at half time.

Clearly, the right words were said at half time as GHK came out with all guns blazing and almost immediately had scored one of their trademark tries in which forwards and backs combined at pace with clever offloads and quick hands leading to Pete Ritchie bagging a richly deserved try, not just for his performance today but as a reward for the way he has transformed himself form a utility back on the fringes of the first team into a key member of an improving and highly performing pack. With Andy Fleming succeeding with the conversion it was game on at 13-13. Hopefully, our faithful cameraman, Dave McNair will already be producing a director’s cut to be nominated for ‘Try of the Month’

The tide seemed to have turned firmly in GHK’s favour when, in the middle of a promising GHK attack one of EK’s defenders twisted awkwardly as he went to tackle Andy Fleming who exploited the gap to score adding the extra points to put GHK 20-13 up. Sadly, the injury to the East Kilbride player seemed to be quite serious knee damage and, understandably, this seemed to further deflate the home team’s spirits.

However, the visitors somehow conspired to lose the momentum they had gained with individual errors and some poor decision-making giving EK a way back into the game resulting in try from a scrum pick up to tie the game back up at 20-20.

GHK have never been short of effort or determination and both were much in evidence as they achieved good field position and, with ten minutes left, retook the lead from a penalty.

GHK failed to gather the restart cleanly and, although there seemed to be a knock on from the home side, GHK were penalised and EK levelled the match at 23-23 which was where the scoring, if not the drama, ceased.

GHK continued to show their battling qualities and two kicks at goal, a penalty and last kick of the game drop goal, although well struck, both went agonisingly past the uprights to leave the GHK players and supporters feeling anything like ‘over the rainbow’.

Much has been said and written in the past week about the whys and wherefores of GHK’s season. I believe that a couple of the most salient points have been that, by any standards, this has been a hugely successful season no matter how results turn out this Saturday; and that before the season started if we had been offered an unbeaten league run stretching to 17 games with the only points dropped being an away draw at such a strong club as East Kilbride then many of us would have been delighted. It is a measure of how far the players, as individuals and as a team, have come; guided by their coaches; restored when required by their faithful physios; and backed by their small but growing band of supporters that such a deep sense of disappointment was felt on Saturday evening and long after.

To look ahead, we have the last league game against Annan at home on Saturday, on a stand by date, unfortunately clashing with Scotland’s match against Ireland. It is a testimony to the spirit in the camp that head coach Hamilton is forsaking his biennial pilgrimage to Dublin’s fair city where the girls are… to be in attendance. Clearly a win is required, preferably with a bonus point and then all that is required is for our nearest and dearest neighbours, Glasgow Accies to produce the goods away to Marr. There has been a close but friendly rivalry between our two clubs with Accies already having graciously allowed us to play Kilmarnock on their patch recently. If they are able to assist on Saturday then their trip from the coast should include a visit to OA for a small libation on their return. Run like stags, Accies! Great guys, really. There, I’ve said it!

Whatever happens, it’s been a great season!

This article was posted on 8-Mar-2012, 01:45 by Ronnie Gourley.

Click here to return to the previous page

This article was posted on 8-Mar-2012, 10:08 by Hugh Barrow.