SCOTTISH CUP
SATURDAY 15th NOVEMBER 2025
GHA 17 GLASGOW ACCIES 12
By CHRIS NAIRN
Saturday saw a welcome return to competitive rugby at Braidholm. A busy schedule welcomed amongst others Veteranos Elche Rugby Club from Spain to play the Famous Gazelles and the Auld Barbarians. Our talented and much travelled Lions squad also featured at home for a change, although access to changing facilities through no fault of the Squad was delayed. The club lunch was well attended despite the unusually early kick off for the 1XV match. The main match on the calendar this Saturday at Braidholm was the eagerly anticipated Scottish Cup tie against rivals Glasgow Accies. This would be the first meeting between the sides since both squads graced Murrayfield in the Scottish Cup final last season. The weather was overcast with some bright spells and a raw wind that suggested keeping moving was the best way to cope on this day. A difficult gusty wind blew across the pitch which could make kicking and indeed longer passes a tad problematical. The pitch has stood up well to the almost continuous rain of the last few days and although quite soft under boot would hold up once the hectic action began. Both squads prepared thoroughly in the cold conditions engaging on unit and whole squad drills with an emphasis on contact and support.
By kick-off a good crowd had huddled together in the stand with perhaps braver elements of the rival supports taking their stance on the windswept pitch surrounds.
I was delighted to learn shortly before kick-off of the wonderful news by his dad Paolo that Luca Bardelli has been selected for the Scottish Sevens Squad and has also been selected for the GB Sevens Squad which will enable Luca to participate in the fabulous Sevens Series in Dubai and Hong Kong. I know all Braidholm fans will wish Luca (our very own Braidholm Express) every success .
Both sides showed by their prematch demeanour and preparation that this match was one demanding total concentration and effort. GHA kicked off with a long high searching ball which Accies failed to deal with and immediately gave the home side an attacking advantage deep inside Accies territory. GHA were awarded a penalty and from a resulting accurate kick to the corner, a smashing catch and drive allowed the home side to work the ball over the line with Ruari Campbell (who is superb in such close offences each week) getting the score. The conversion just failed, and the score after one and a half minutes was GHA 5 GLASGOW ACCIES 0.
This was a lightening start by the Braidholm side and immediately was a setback for the visitors. The restart went straight out which meant that GHA had the advantage of a scrum on halfway. It was clear at once that nerves were affecting the visitors and to their credit, they were to quickly calm the ship. Following the scrum some lovely penetrating driving by Messrs Campbell and McCutcheon forced the visitors into desperate and accurate defence inside their half. As we passed the fourth minute of what had been a lightening start, Accies put together some highly effective passing and driving led by Messrs Clunas, Storie, O’Hare and Craig which required the home side to work hard to bring such drives to a stop. Kwesi O’Hare’s direct running and strength in possession provided a handful for the home side all afternoon.
Both sides were trying to establish a pattern of play from which to build a platform of control but rushed passes, strong tackling and lack of composure meant that by the tenth minute play was rather ragged moving across the ten metre areas of both sides. GHA began to mount some consistent pressure from this point a central aspect of this was the excellent lineout work of Messrs Campbell, Kerr and McCutcheon. Such effective execution of this vital basic area of play unsettled the Accies forwards all afternoon as they constantly tried to counter the lovely receiving skills of Messrs Kerr and McCutcheon which consistently provided quality-controlled ball for the home side.
As we neared the quarter hour mark the match still failed to establish a pattern with both sides attempting to move the ball through hands to make space only to be stymied by effective defence. Indeed, at this stage progress really resulted from missed tackles or tackles which failed to prevent the ball being moved. There were some lovely cameos from Messrs Holland, Rodgers and Campbell which saw them time and again taking the ball into contact only to see progress snuffed out by the home defence. In the same way smashing work by Messrs MacGregor, Ewing, Lonergan-Black and McKenzie could not break through a well organised and effective visiting defence. As we passed the twentieth minute of the half both sets of supporters cheered on their team and hoped that their team would establish some control over the match. Finally, Accies made the breakthrough, punching a hole through the home defence as Messrs Holland, Evans, Briggs and Longwell worked closely together to create a score in the corner. A difficult conversion attempt failed, and the score after twenty-five minutes was GHA 5 GLASGOW ACCIES 5. Soft underfoot conditions and a swirling gusty wind made goal kicking problematical for both sides and helped keep the score close throughout the match.
GHA redoubled their efforts to regain at least some control over the match as we moved past the thirtieth minute mark and determined and skilled work took the home side into the Accies twenty-two metre area. Accies conceded a penalty and from a catch and drive from the resulting kick the home side managed to score through Euan McKirdy to make it: GHA 10 GLASGOW ACCIES 5. The conversion failed and the half ended with the home side enjoying a narrow lead over the visitors.
Neither side had been able to gain lasting dominance in the half and progress for both sides tended to break down after the first line of defence had been breached. As a result, the match had not been free flowing, and it was clear that whichever side could manage to impose their will on the second half could very well emerge triumphant. Both sides left the field clearly frustrated and agitated that they had failed to control proceedings so far. All present hoped for more controlled and free flowing play in the second half.
Accies began the second half with a high and long kick which was gathered by Dario Ewing and the home side began to move towards halfway with Messrs Hughes, Goudie and Drummond trying to find a way through an uncompromising visitors’ defence. In the next moment the home side just inside their own half conceded a penalty and Accies wasted no time in putting in an excellent kick which forced the home side back inside their own five metre area. To great acclaim from the visiting support a clean catch and drive by Accies saw the ball finally moved through hands to allow Jordan Craig to go over and score. The conversion was successful and the score after five minutes of the half was GHA 10 GLASGOW ACCIES 12.
The visiting side had struck early in the half, and it would require the home side to shake off the disappointment of conceding a score and take the game back to Accies. Slowly GHA began to exert some control over proceedings and forced Accies on to the backfoot. This was achieved by resolute drives in the loose with smart and accurate release of the ball to a willing set of backs beginning to find their rhythm again after the setbacks of recent weeks. Only fierce defensive tackling blunted the progress of the home side. Both sets of supporters were quick to offer vocal support for the effort being expended by both sides. GHA began to find some fluency as forward and backs moved in tandem and managed to cope with the frustration of having attempts to score held up on the line on at least three occasions. Calm decisive defence by the visitors in such circumstances was most impressive. Equally despite these “near scores” the home side refused to panic and continued to work hard to secure ball and ask questions of the Accies defence. As we passed the eleventh minute of the half, sustained pressure inside the Accies twenty-two metre area saw GHA move the ball from a five metre line impasse through hands to Euan McKirdy for his second of the day to loud cheers from the home support. The try was converted, and the score was now GHA 17 GLASGOW ACCIES 12.
Accies came straight back at the home side who had to defend inside their half before a combination of tackle and clearance kicks began to ease the concerted efforts of the visitors. Both sides conceded penalties in their desperate attempts to gain advantage. As we moved past the twenty fifth minute of the half the home side sought to increase their lead only to be held up again over the Accies try line. GHA were awarded a penalty inside the Accies half and an attempted conversion just failed to allow the home side to increase their lead. There was a dogged determination about the home side in their desire to add to their lead and equally Accies refused to abandon the hope of overtaking what was a narrow lead held by the home side. As we moved into the last ten minutes of the match there were breaks from both sides, which only last man tackles prevented from changing the score line. In the hectic conclusion to the match Euan McKirdy was yellow carded. The home side managed to hold out, and the final score was GHA 17 GLASGOW ACCIES 12.
It had not been a great spectacle of rugby and clearly reflected that both sides were perhaps a little “ring rusty” from the recent break. Certainly, the home side found a way to win a difficult match and begin to restore their confidence for the hard league matches which await. The quiet demeanour of the home side at the conclusion perhaps reflected an awareness amongst GHA ranks that this was a performance to build on in the weeks ahead. Head Coach Calum felt that a victory was the most important part of the match and that it breaks the recent pattern of reversals
GLASGOW ACCIES :R.MORTON O.NASH J.CRAIG J.McCREADY K O’HARE A.STORIE M.CLUNAS M.ASHDOWN S.RODGERS S.LONGWELL L.CAMPBELL H.BRIGGS B.SKINNER J.EVANS M.HOLLAND D.CRUICKSHANKS G.DAVIS S.SING B.JULE J.LUDICK A.RYAN R.BOURRIERES
GHA: G.DRUMMOND C.THOMSON M.HUGHES N.THOMPSON R.NOLAN A.GOUDIE E.McKIRDY L.HODGE R.CAMPBELL C.MacGREGOR A.KERR H.McKENZIE O.LONERGAN-BLACK D.EWING L.McCUTCHEON E.McGOVERN Z.BURGESS S.CALLAGHAN L.MONCRIEFF B.CURTIS A.COBB F.JACKSON
REFEREE: MR M TODD
ASSISTANT REFEREES: MR S McCALL Mr T COUTTS
Thanks to Mr Ian Robin for provision of Match Official details and to Jamie McEntaggart for clarification of GHA shirt numbers
Outstanding news re Luca Bardelli – I think there is a very proud Dad around!