NATIONAL LEAGUE 1
SATURDAY 26th OCTOBER 2024
GHA 54 BIGGAR 17
By CHRIS NAIRN
Saturday was a very busy day at Braidholm. The arrival of cameras to record live the match action, 1XV and 2XV squads on duty, a very well attended Old Aloysians lunch, and a good crowd drawn from the locale and further afield created a rather special atmosphere for the visit of Biggar. The Borderers are a difficult side to play against- more than capable of running rugby with a powerful well drilled pack. There are no easy matches in this league and the home side would have to produce their best rugby to continue their winning ways. The Game Day sponsor was The Park Practice, the proprietor of which is our very own Josh Low. As usual on match days, the weather around two o’clock changed from a pleasant sunny low wind environment to a cloudy, cold day with a swirling wind doing a dance on the pitch! The pitch was in very good condition, with the new laid grass of the summer knitting well to the existing grass providing an even surface. Both sides prepared in small contact groups then into whole team drills. Both sides working out until near kick off time. As usual our smashing Junior section provided a guard of honour as the teams entered the arena. A packed stand looked forward to what they hoped would be a good match. The home side kicked off with a long and high kick deep into the Biggar ranks. Ross Cullen, who worked very hard all afternoon to unlock the GHA defence, cleared the immediate danger and after several further kicks were exchanged, Ross put in a clever diagonal kick which took play into the GHA twenty-two metre area. Biggar disrupted the ensuing lineout and moved the ball across the field looking to find a way through the GHA defence. Some lovely work by Messrs Jackson and McLeish drove into the GHA twenty-two metre area and were rewarded with a penalty. Biggar converted the kick and after four minutes the score was: GHA 0 BIGGAR 3. This was a fair reward for the visitors who had penned the home side into their half since kick off and were intent in running the ball into the GHA defence with close, accurate support. In these early minutes the home side committed several unforced errors and there was a nervous look about their actions. Biggar sensed that this was a very early opportunity to attempt to establish an attacking platform. However, animated conversations amongst the home squad suggested that GHA were aware of the danger and seemed to refocus. From the restart GHA attacked Biggar and won good ball in the loose to force the visitors back deep into their twenty-two metre area. An impressive combination of forwards and backs drove the ball towards the line before going over to score and convert the try. Ryan Whitefield was yellow carded for an infringement. The score after seven minutes was now: GHA 7 BIGGAR 3.
This was the perfect riposte to the earlier concession and seemed to galvanise the home side. After ten minutes it was becoming clear that both sets of forwards were pretty evenly matched and it would be the accurate execution of drives and moves that would provide an attacking platform for two sets of eager backs. Play raged around the middle of the pitch as both sides attacked and were repelled by effective tackling. It was an interesting technical joust between the skills of Messrs Goudie and Cullen as both sought to probe space with deft feints and subtle chips into the area behind defences.
The intricate passing moves by Messrs Goudie, Lonergan and MacFarlane were warmly appreciated by the home support as they cut a path through a confused Biggar defence. The return of the talented “terrible twins” Lonergan and MacFarlane provides a huge attacking point for GHA and their fierce defensive tackling is highly effective. The home side began to mount a period of pressure inside the Biggar half. The visitors bravely tackled everything that moved but slowly and with great precision the interchange between GHA backs and forwards drove play deep into the Biggar five metre area. Biggar could not prevent the driving force of Michael Fox as he “flew over the line” to score- to huge cheers from his team mates and the home support. “Foxy” does an enormous amount of ball carrying in the maul and loose and critically sets the ball up along with his pack mates for Messrs Curtis and Goudie to work their magic. The ball carrying work of all the GHA forwards is a strong feature of the progress the squad is making this season and is very hard to defend against. Gregor Drummond hammered the ball over to make the score after fifteen minutes: GHA 14 BIGGAR 3
Whilst the score suggested that the home side were in control, in reality they were haling to work very hard against a stubborn Biggar side who had no intention of abandoning their own attacking plans. As we moved towards the half hour, Biggar began to wrestle some control on the match and forced the home side into defending in their twenty-two metre area. Indeed sustained pressure from Biggar provided an opportunity for Owen McLeish to kick long into the corner but he over hit the ball and the pressure was removed for the moment from GHA. As we reached the twenty fifth minute, the home side won possession at halfway and began to move the ball with speed and accuracy over the gain line. The efficiency of such a strike drove Biggar on to the back foot and out of position. Lovely passing and support play by Charlie Lonergan and Andrew Goudie allowed them to carve a way through the struggling Biggar defence to allow Andrew to go over and score. The try was converted, and the score was now: GHA 21 BIGGAR 3. This was a very significant score. The home side had shown again their ability to seize on an opportunity and using their collective and individual skill to capitalise on the opportunity and score.
Clearly, after some pressure this set back hurt Biggar but as they did throughout this match, they put their disappointment to one side and took the fight to the home side. Despite some progress as we reached the half hour Biggar lost possession and once again the home side- in combinations of drives and running moves- forced Biggar deep into their own half and on to the back foot again. Carefully using controlled power and movement GHA drove to the line and Andrew Kerr, who contributes hugely to GHA forward work, went over to score. The try was converted, and the score was now: GHA 28 BIGGAR 3.
The match thundered from one end of the pitch to the other with some tremendous tackling by both sides preventing further scores. Biggar seemed to feel that this was a critical moment in the match…they needed to reduce the leeway and find a way to halt the GHA machine breaking through. Whilst the Biggar lineout was reasonably functioning, their set piece scrum began to cause the home side some problems and allowed the visiting support some hope that this set piece could be a launch pad for recovery. Consistent effort by the visitors took play deep into the GHA twenty-two metre area as we approached the interval. Lovely close order ball protection forced GHA to try and defend desperately as Biggar moved forward with menace. The visitors got the ball over the line and the try was converted. At half time the score was: GHA 28 BIGGAR 10. The visitors rightly felt that their hard work had allowed them to reduce the leeway and that they were now asking questions of the strength of the GHA resolve to hold on to the lead. An exciting second half beckoned.
Biggar placed a long high kick at the restart which was fielded by Adam Kerr and fed to Ben Curtis whose probing kick into the Biggar half is well gathered and the visitors began to move the ball in tight forward movement, engaging the first line of GHA defence where Messrs Collins and Byrne and McCutcheon attempted to break the Biggar momentum. Biggar conceded a penalty which gave the home side an opportunity to reorganise and gather themselves for the rest of what was a keenly contested match. Strong offensive tackling by the home side dislodged the ball from Biggar hands inside their half and instantly as one the GHA pack descended on the area. Adam Byrne cleverly kicked the loose ball through the retreating Biggar defence and shot through to gather and go over and score to huge cheers from the home support. Greg Drummond converted and the score after forty-four minutes was now: GHA 35 BIGGAR 10. Once again, the home side had displayed a ruthless ability to seize on an opportunity and to convert it into points. Despite this further set back from an attacking position, Biggar took the match straight back to the GHA side. Suddenly it was Biggar who were applying pressure with a combination of drives and short diagonal kicks behind the GHA defence. A huge, sustained effort by the visitors gave them a superb attacking position on the GHA try line. The visitors secured the ball and swung a long pass out to surprise the home defence and allow Danny Williamson (who worked hard all afternoon to attack the GHA defence) to go over and score. The try was converted to loud cheers from the visiting support and the score after fifty-two minutes was now: GHA 35 BIGGAR 17. Credit to Biggar who point blank refused to allow any feelings of defeat to filter through their efforts. Right to the end of this match the visitors were dangerous and capable every time they attacked the home side. Play swung from end to end with again the defensive capabilities of both sides being put to the test and continued at a hectic pace as the wind began to increase and the rain began to fall.
As we reached the hour mark both sides found it difficult to break through the last line of defence as some desperate tackles went in to save further concessions. Deep inside the GHA twenty-two metre area Andrew Goudie was yellow carded in a hectic exchange between the sides. Biggar were using their superiority at the scrum to impose some control on the movement of ball and to establish attacking platforms. As we headed for the seventieth minute there developed an odd lull in direct action from both sides as both seemed to crab across the pitch at the ten metre areas. GHA were perhaps the first of the sides to return to attacking style and to delight in the stands created a penalty at the scrum. This was a critical point for the home forwards who had clearly realised that there was a danger of their scrum technique being taken to task. It is typical of this group of players to realise the situation and correct it. The scrummaging from the home side markedly improved from this point. They won possession and after another penalty awarded, Glen Little kicked toward the corner. The excellent lineout work of GHA resulted in secured possession and allowed the impressive Adam Byrne to squirrel his way over to score. A difficult angle even for Greg Drummond meant the conversion just failed and the score was now: GHA 47 BIGGAR 17. The restart failed to go the requisite difference so a scrum back at halfway immediately gave the initiative back to GHA. From the resulting scrum, Biggar were further penalised for scrum half infringement and the home side, from the Biggar ten metre line, secured possession and a lovely break by Andrew Goudie carved open the Biggar rearguard and in a smashing movement the ball went long to Jamie McEntaggart- who was delighted to crash over the line to score. The try was converted and the final score was: GHA 54 BIGGAR 17.
It had been a keenly contested match with both sides giving their all. GHA seized on every opportunity to turn chances into points, often at pivotal points in the match. It is a growing feature of the squad that they play as one and all seem to know and understand their role and perhaps more importantly execute their role to a high degree. Biggar were a dangerous and competent side and will rue the fact that GHA were so alert to every opportunity and half chance. Coach Calum was delighted with the performance and intimated justifiable pride in the effort and performances from the squad since August. He senses (as we all do) there is a very good feeling about the club this season and not just because of victories on the pitch. It is perhaps testament to everyone in the club at whatever level and whatever duty pulling together.
BIGGAR: D.WILLIAMSON F.CROZIER A.LAMB J.BARR R.WATSON O.McLEISH R.CULLEN L.HENDERSON J.DUNCAN R.WHITEFIELD S.KING Z.LYON T.YOUNG S.McCLYMONT R.JACKSON C.FRAME N.HOGARTH G.ADAMS R.STEWART E.BOGLE
GHA: G.DRUMMOND R.NOLAN C.LONERGAN M.MACFARLANE G.LITTLE A.GOUDIE B.CURTIS S.COLLINS A.BYRNE M.FOX H.MKENZIE A.KERR S.PLUMRIDGE D.EWING L.McCUTCHEON L.HODGE S.CALLAGHAN J.McENTEGART F.McCOSS M.HUGHES
REFEREE: MR L FISH
ASSISTANT REFEREES: MR W GAFFNEY MR R MacHUGH