CITY RIVALS DOWNED AT HUGHENDEN

GHA RFC MATCH 108: HILLHEAD / JORDANHILL RFC 8 – 19 GHA RFC 

2006/2007: Scottish Premiership Two

GHA won rugby’s Premiership Two ‘Glasgow Derby’ by defeating Hillhead / Jordanhill 19-8.

But the Southsiders left it late at a sodden Hughenden, scoring 12 points in the last 10 minutes. The stuttering win came, despite GHA getting off to the best possible start with a try inside two minutes.

James Noonan found touch near the corner with a good kick. GHA then secured possession and set up a powerful drive which was touched down by Andy Rennick. Noonan converted to make it 7-0 but GHA failed to build on that lead and Hills came more into the game as the half went on. Eventually the Westenders put points on the scoreboard when a series of drives caught GHA offside. David Frame did the honours from the resultant penalty. The home side went on to dominate the remainder of the half but the score remained 7-3 at half-time.

With conditions making handling extremely difficult both teams struggled to put together constructive moves after the interval. But after 54 minutes Joe Stafford picked up from a maul and sliced through the GHA line before setting up Stuart Ross who broke through a couple of tackles to score. Frame missed the conversion but with Hills now a point ahead an upset looked on the cards.

Any chance of that happening was averted when Ross McClymont broke through Hills rearguard to send in Alan Bulloch for a try to put GHA back in front. Noonan hit the post with the conversion attempt but McClymont made the result safe with another try. Noonan’s conversion again struck the post but this time the ball went over and the points were going back south of the river.

Source: The Eastwood Extra, Thursday 16th November 2006