GHA RFC MATCH 165: HADDINGTON RFC 13 – 17 GHA RFC 

2008/2009: Scottish Premiership Two

HADDINGTON RFC 

 GHA RFC

J. Warren15A. Rushforth
N. Watt14R. Jericevich
D. Snodgrass (c)13N. Cassie (c)
C. Mark12R. McClymont
G. Dykes11B. Wamberg
J. Peters10G. Taylor
N. Bell9A. Gillman
C. Adam1G. Warnock
C. Harrison2J. Coffey
G. Glass3A. Kelly
R. Martin4A. Williamson
B. Snodgrass5R. Jenkins
P. Brown6A. Boag
M. Morrison7J. Pinder
D. O’Riordan8D. Chaney
C. Samuel16M. Coffey
G. Waugh17P. Harkins
N. Rodger18C. Davidson
C. Cockburn19
Dykes, WattTryCassie, Harkins, Williamson
ConCassie
PetersPen
DG
Referee
Mr C. Brett (Edinburgh RS)

 

A last-play try by Niall Cassie snatched victory for GHA on Saturday in a Neilson Park game which they seemed to have let slip just three minutes earlier as Haddington took a 13-12 lead. But GHA persevered, and Andrew Gillman broke down the right wing for his captain to finish off.

Victory edged GHA above Haddington into fifth place in the Scottish Hydro Electric Premier Two table. For that the visitors owed much to their dogged, determined rearguard action against the stiff breeze into the first half.

Graham Dykes game Haddington an early lead with a try after only two minutes. But GHA stuck in so well that the home team still led by just 5-0 as the first half went into added time. It was only then that Jamie Peters added to the home lead with a 40-metre penalty goal.

GHA used the wind in the second half as well as Haddington had done before the interval, and immediately after Paul Harkin’s entrance as impact substitute in 52 minutes he made his presence felt with a try. Gillman and Jamie Pinder did much to create that score.

Gregg Taylor, deputising at stand-off for the absent Jim Noonan, seemed to have scored when he followed up his own chipped kick over the goal-line. He was judged to have knocked on, but in 64 minutes GHA deservedly took the lead for the first time when Pinder picked up loose ball for Andy Williamson to charge over. Cassie converted for 12-8.

As regular time was approaching its end GHA’s composure was upset. Rangi Jericevich was knocked out in a collision, Taylor had briefly to leave the field, Ross McClymont was sin-binned, and before the visitors could settle again Neil Watt went over in the right corner.

That was Haddington ahead again, albeit by only one point. But back came GHA with Gillman’s vital break and the captain’s finishing touch. No one in the visitors’ camp worried that the conversion missed it was the last kick of the game.

Source: Bill McMurtrie

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