GHA 55 Greenock Wanderers 12

GHA started this game in whirlwind fashion, scoring three tries from Hefin O'Hare, Ross McClymont and Rangi Jericevich to go 21-0 up inside 15 minutes - it possibly should've been 4 but the referee adjudged a second effort from O'Hare to be held up when it looked for all money to be a good score. As the game settled down, Geenock managed to gain some good posession and profited form a poor missed tackle around a ruck which let them in for their first score. GHA responded with a penalty from Murray Houston and although happy with the 24-7 half time lead, they would've been disappointed not to have added more as several chances were wasted.

GHA started the second half in similar fashion to the first. Playing a high tempo game that the visitors struggled to contain, they worked their way down to the Greenock 5 metre line and some relentless phase play from the forwards was rewarded when prop Sean Fisher bulldozed over for the bonus point try. This was shortly followed by a fifth score when Jamie Pinder playing at Number 8, executed a pick and go from a surging GHA scrum on the Greenock 5 metre line.

Chris Binnie then touched down after some good build up play from the GHA forwards in side the Greenock 22. The ball was worked wide and the full back burst through a narrow gap carrying his would-be tacklers over the line with him for the score. Greenock then scored their second when a missed tackle in the midfield allowed their inside centre to surge up the field. Some good support play led to a try near the left hand corner.

GHA answered with a score from captain Andrew Henderson who took a neat inside ball from fly half Tane Jericevich and ghosted in for the score under the posts. With the score at 48-12, GHA could smell a half century and it eventually came when left wing John Brogan broke up a play on the left hand side and sprinted 60 metres to cap off a great afternoon for the men in green.

With cup duties over, GHA will play Whitecraigs in a friendly next Saturday (at Braidholm KO 2pm) before travelling to Cupar in Fife the week after to take on league leaders, Howe of Fife.

GHA Team:
R McClymont, R Jericevich, H O'Hare, A Henderson(c), J Brogan, T Jericevich, M Houston; S Spowart, D Malcolm, M Kidd, J Auld, A Barnett, P MacLeod, A Auld, J Pinder.
Reserves - C Binnie, B Farrell, I Nelson, S Fisher.