NATIONAL LEAGUE 1
SATURDAY 12th OCTOBER 2024

GHA 24  PEEBLES 20

By
CHRIS NAIRN

Saturday saw the arrival to Braidholm of Peebles Rugby Club. The Borderers had made the long journey to Highland last week only to lose the match by a point. Conversations with the visitors made it clear that Peebles were determined to leave Braidholm with the points. As President Adams noted in the match programme, all at Braidholm are delighted with the standard of attacking rugby being provided by the 1XV squad. A number of players are injured or unavailable for the home side which meant enforced changes and positional changes. This would be a good test of the strength in depth of the GHA squad and the crucial ability or otherwise to play to the established system with new or changed personnel. The home side were bolstered by the debut of Rikki Gilchrist, younger brother of Scottish Internationalist Grant. Rikki, on completing his university studies, has intimated a desire to play for GHA which has been warmly welcomed amongst the playing and coaching ranks.

The weather was very changeable going from dark foreboding clouds to sunny intervals and then driving rain. It was a cold day, and a troublesome wind blew across the pitch. The pitch had held up well against a lot of pre match rain but there was water lying just below the surface with plenty of give in the surface. Such conditions could affect the ability to run the ball and would necessitate ball retention at the set piece. Both sides in light of the conditions perhaps, concentrated on fixed set piece work in preparation before running whole squad sets. An expectant crowd had assembled by the kick off with the home side winning a penalty immediately from the start. Peebles gave away a large number of penalties for infringements in the first twenty minutes which allowed GHA to build pressure and seriously hampered the visitors attempts to build continuity. A further failure to secure lineout ball due to misthrows, the excellent predatory work of Messrs Kerr, Callaghan and McCutcheon and struggles to contain the GHA scrum, put Peebles on the backfoot from the start and gave a huge fillip to the home side. The early minutes of this encounter saw the home side take the ball forward into the tackle, recycle and go again. All the home forwards are developing skill in this technique with ball retention and the making of yardage the aim. The visitors, as they were to do all afternoon, refused to be overwhelmed by the onslaught and put in a tremendous number of tackles to force GHA across the pitch and to constantly try and find a way through a very effective Peebles defence. The pressure did begin to tell as wave after wave of drive and set up forced the visitors to tackle on the back foot. Just on ten minutes an inspired improvisation by Glen Little allowed him to dribble through the Peebles defence and to go over and score. The try was converted by Gregor Drummond to make the score after eleven minutes: GHA 7 PEEBLES 0.

Despite conceding it would be a foolish person who presumed that this Borders side would merely capitulate and allow the home side to triumph. A clever half-back pairing of Anderson and Harrison continually looked to stem the GHA advances. This combination at half-back, with the assured boot and clever movement of full back Rory McHaffie, would ask questions of the home side all afternoon and would play a huge part in the exciting second half. From the restart a lovely move by Peebles broke down from an over-elaborate pass at a critical moment with the GHA defence stretched. By the end of the first quarter, as play raged between the respective ten metre lines, there was a continued battle for control with the home side having to explore different angles of drive against an excellent, well drilled and effective defence. Great drives by Michael Fox as ever, and Dario Ewing, Lochlan Hodge and Adam Byrne amongst others were met by a blunt refusal to yield by the visitors. Equally as Peebles moved the ball at times and used Matt Carryer, Lewis Copeland and Euan Murray to drive at the home defence, they were met by an equally determined and accurate GHA defensive line. This back and forth, thrust and counter thrust made for an engrossing match played at a hectic pace.

As we passed the twenty-fourth minute a renewed bout of pressure from the home side saw GHA awarded a penalty  deep inside the Peebles half. Gregor Drummond kicked the penalty to earn another three hard won points in this match to make the score GHA 10 PEEBLES 0. The Borderers, stung by this reverse charged from the restart into the startled ranks of GHA and desperate attempts to clear imminent danger resulted in a penalty for the visitors for a high tackle. The decision making by both sides for most of this match was excellent, taking account of the conditions, time and the state of play. A delightful accurate long kick by Rory McHaffie put Peebles on the scoreboard to huge cheers from a lively visiting support. The score after twenty-four minutes was: GHA 10 PEEBLES 3.

This game, as the score suggests, was being closely contested. Both packs were working hard to win clean ball to allow the back lines to work their magic. Both sides would attack and counterattack and continually look to find a feint, a move, a mispass which would open very uncompromising defences. This made this match a fascinating encounter and difficult to forecast a result.  As we reached the half hour mark some tremendous build-up of pressure forced the visitors back into their twenty-two metre area. The home side took the ball in on a drive as the backs moved in concert across the pitch in an attempt to create confusion in visiting ranks. With quality ball the very astute Ben Curtis made space and worked a beautiful move with Ross Nolan to flat foot the opposition and to go over and score. Once again, the talented Mr Drummond converted to make the score GHA 17 PEEBLES 3.

This was just reward for a sustained and organised period of pressure against the hardworking Peebles defence. As we reached the interval it would be a welcome break for two teams who had worked flat out at a hectic pace to secure dominance. That neither side had managed to sustain such dominance for any lengthy period spoke volumes as to the quality of the defences. Half-time: GHA 17 PEEBLES 3.

Peebles would rue their poor lineout ball retention and seeming inability to provide quality scrummage ball for their backs. GHA knew that this Peebles team were dangerous and would not fold in anyway and that only total commitment in the second half would stem any fightback.

Interestingly, the visitors did not leave the field at the interval but stood in a tight group no doubt discussing their plans for the second half.

The second half began with a noticeable increase in the pace set by the visitors as they moved into the GHA ten metre area. The home side were penalised for a high tackle and immediately Peebles sought to drive a way through the home defence. A huge tackle by Rikki Gilchrist in midfield reminded the visitors that the home side would not be slow to cut down any advances by Peebles, but the good work by Rikki was undone as play was brought back for a previous infringement with advantage to Peebles. There was a renewed authority about the visitors whose confidence in their own capabilities seemed to have grown from the interval. In contrast the home side whilst still trying to play powerful expansive rugby lacked the usual fluidity that has been a feature of their matches to date. As we moved into the forty third minute of the match a superb opportunity for Peebles to attack from the lineout failed as the home side won the ball to acclaim from the home support and moved play from deep in their twenty-two metre area to the GHA ten metre area. Clearly Peebles were now making an even greater effort to establish dominance in the match. They began to employ a variety of approaches; side feints, take and drive, recycle and chips behind the home defence. The pressure was beginning to tell on the home side as they tried to cover every eventuality as play swirled inside the GHA half. Excellent ball retention by Messrs Gray, Copeland and MacIver amongst others was tying in the GHA pack and was making yardage into the GHA half: much to the delight of the visiting support. As we reached the forty eighth minute hard won space set up Peebles for a run at the stretched GHA defence, only to see the move breakdown with perhaps an overambitious attempt to take out the GHA rearguard with a wayward pass. Several times in the half with Peebles in the ascendancy, a breakdown in basics or herculean intervention by GHA tackling prevented a move bringing success for Peebles. As we passed the fiftieth minute Peebles had managed to take a dominant position in the match and were encamped in the GHA half. This was a new experience for the home side this season and was a test of their resilience and character as Peebles sensed the match was reaching a critical point. On the fifty sixth minute Peebles deservedly scored after great forward play to make the score: GHA 17 PEEBLES 8. The try was converted, and the score became GHA 17 PEEBLES 10. The closeness of the score reflected that this was a closely contested match with Peebles clearly feeling that they could win the day. Massive pressure from the visitors in combinations of outlying forwards taking the ball into contact, recycling and going again, forced the home side on to the back foot deep inside their own half. Scrummage and lineout ball retention was decidedly improved by the Borderers who were now deep inside the GHA five metre line. There was a look of calm organisation from the visitors’ approach compared to the frantic on the line defending by GHA. The referee awarded Peebles a penalty try deciding that GHA had collapsed the maul and Sean Callaghan was yellow carded GHA 17 PEEBLES 17.

Peebles had worked very hard to draw equal to the home side and now the momentum was swinging towards them. Michael Fox, Dario Ewing and Luke McCutcheon with support from others seemed to realise that the next ten minutes were vital and that they would lead by example by taking the ball, when possible, into contact. The crowd was now very animated and was enjoying this close fought match. GHA were now having to dig into their self-belief and resilience as Peebles looked to set a platform to go on and win the match. In the sixty sixth minute Peebles were awarded a penalty inside the GHA ten metre area for an infringement following a scrum. The impressive Rory McHaffie after consultation with his teammates, elected to kick for the posts. A huge cheer greeted his lovely kick between the posts to turn the score on its head and put Peebles in the lead. The score was now: GHA 17 PEEBLES 20. The question now was whether the home side could summon a final effort to reverse the score or whether a clearly confident Peebles could hold on and perhaps add to their lead.

From the restart GHA as one thundered into the Peebles half and with great determination won the ball and drove the startled Peebles defence onto the backfoot. This was the speed of thought, movement and execution from the home side that we have witnessed this season. GHA drove to the lineout tying in the desperate Peebles pack. A concerted and directed drive allowed Adam Kerr to go over and score. The try was converted, and the score after seventy minutes was now: GHA 24 PEEBLES 20.

The last ten minutes as the crowd anxiously looked at the clock saw both sides try a variety of moves and incursions into their opponents half which were met by effective tackling and good clearance kicks. Right to the last whistle both sides sought to find a way through but at full time the home side had prevailed against a very tough opponent by the score: GHA 24 PEEBLES 20. Both sides were applauded warmly from the pitch and deservedly so. They had provided a match the outcome of which was in doubt right to the final whistle.

Peebles would rue the rash of penalties they conceded in the first half which allowed the home side to gain territorial advantage. It took the visitors until into the second half to tighten their lineout and scrummaging. The resilience and self-belief of the home side perhaps allowed that late surge of power to obtain the final score.

GHA will concede that they were not quite as smooth in execution as they have been. They had to cope with a stubborn and well organised defence which blunted much of the attacking prowess of the side. That they found a way to win reflects well on the strength of character in this quad. Coach Calum reflected on a very tough match and was delighted that the squad had been able to dig deep and cope with setbacks and personnel changes and show character and resilience to carry the day.

 

PEEBLES: R.McHAFFIE B.DAVIDSON J.DOW J.HODGEKISS N.PATE D.ANDERSON J.HARRISON J.GRAY M.CARRYER L.COPELAND R.BROWN E.MURRAY R.HARRISON K.MACIVER E.HUNTER A.DUNCAN J.NAPIER R.MACIVER E.JACKSOPN J.COLTMAN

 

GHA: R.TONG R.NOLAN G.LITTLE R.GILCHRIST S.DERRICK G.DRUMMOND B.CURTIS L.HODGE A.BYRNE M.FOX A.KERR S.CALLAGHAN H.McKENZIE D.EWING L.McCUTCHEON L.BARRON S.COLLINS O.LONERGAN-BLACK  M.HUGHES G.BAIRD

 

REFEREE: MR C LAZENBY

ASSISTANT REFEREES: MS B.CASARES-FERNANDEZ  MR S BICKNELL

 

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