On the weekend that was originally pencilled in as the return to rugby, lets continue our trip down memory lane and try to fill that void of Saturday club rugby.

On the last Saturday of October back in 2004, GHA travelled to Lenzie in a BT Cup 3rd round match that would see the home side put a brave performance against their Premiership opposition. Though the visitors were comfortable winners in the end it was much less straightforward than the pre match expectations.

 

LOWER LEAGUE LENZIE CAN HOLD THEIR HEADS HIGH IN DEFEAT

GHA RFC MATCH 56: LENZIE RFC 3 – 43 GHA RFC

2004/2005: Scottish Cup 3rd Round

LENZIE RFC 

 GHA RFC

S. Paton15R. West
G. Wilson14R. Watson
F. Coletta13A. Bulloch
S. Hardie12K. Eddy
F. Morrison11R. McClymont
R. McAuley10I. Kennedy
A. McAuley9N. MacLeod
I. Matier1R. Nolan
A. Johnston2D. Malcolm
L. MacInnes3A. Reekie
S. Parfitt4J. Eddie
D. McLean5A. Williamson
C. Henderson6G. Harkness
(c) A. Duncan7C. Di Ciacca (c)
S. MacPherson8C. Forrester
R. Saunders16D. Jamieson
S. Johnstone17I. McKinnon
S. McNeish18A. Miller
D. Foster19M. Dunn
TryEddy (3), Bulloch (2), Harkness, McClymont
ConKennedy (4)
R. McAuleyPen
DG
Referee
Mr A. MacPherson (Stirling University)

 

Lenzie were comfortably defeated by GHA in the 3rd Round of this seasons BT Cup, but can hold their heads high following a brave performance. GHA’s skill and pace was evident throughout the tie but Lenzie made life difficult for their opponents at Viewfield.

In particular, the front row of Matier, Johnston and McInnes were outstanding, with Lenzie’s forwards worked themselves to a standstill. Mostly in dig-deep defensive situations, but they did it manfully. The backs were involved in similar battling and had little chance to show attacking skills. Half backs Andrew and Ross McAuley showed they are improving with every game, with Ross using his prodigious boot to effect on occasions, but rarely having time to put his backs away by hand. At centre, both Hardie and Coletta bravely battled away throughout the 80 minutes, with Coletta’s crash ball providing useful second phase ball for Lenzie’s supporting forwards.

The underfoot conditions probably suited the home side more, with GHA wanting to play a more fluid running and handling game. The slippery ball did no one any favours, but again GHA suffered more so because they had so much more ball to fumble.

It took GHA nine minutes to open the scoring, with a try from New Zealand import Kieran Eddy. They scored two further tries in the first-half, through Harkness and Eddy, with Ian Kennedy, who started his career in the Lenzie youth ranks, converting two of the tries. Ross McAuley kicked the home team’s only points of the game before half-time.

GHA continued to probe the home defence in the second period, finding little space in close quarter play, but reaping reward when they spun the ball wide. Eddy completed his hat-trick whilst former Glasgow and Scotland centre Alan Bulloch added two of his own. GHA added a seventh try before the game was over, with Kennedy finishing with four conversions.

Lenzie had several chances to add to their score through penalties, but decided to run or kick for position, and were unlucky on a couple of occasions not to cross the GHA line.

Lenzie coach Wilson Fulton praised his team after the game: “Without exception every player did what was asked of him and more. Our expectations before the game were high, and although we were never going to win, we competed very well in most phases of the game. It bodes well for the rest of the season. We were certainly not disgraced. At our level we cannot expect much more against clubs of GHA’s calibre. I thought the boys acquitted themselves defensively and kept the score below the 50-point level. I’m just sorry we did not get the try we at least deserved.”

Motivation is a problem for a team meeting lower league opposition. GHA coach David Wilson touched on this but was still wholesome in this praise of the Lenzie effort. “I’m still pleased with our performance. I felt we raised the tempo when we had too and was a good exercise for some of the new boys I brought in”.

With up and coming No.8 Callum Forrester more likely to be involved in Scotland U19 activities, GHA are already negotiating to bring in a new boy for that position. At present they are just happy to move onto the next round of the cup, with unfortunately a meeting with Scottish Champions Glasgow Hawks to be considered first on Saturday.

Source: The Glasgow Herald, Monday 1st November 2004 & The Kirkintilloch Herald, Wednesday 3rd November 2004

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *