Glasgow Accies RFC v Falkirk RFC
Played on 9th November 2019 at Horne Park, Falkirk
On a sunny but very cold autumnal afternoon in Falkirk Accies took to the field but were kept waiting for what seemed like a long time, could this be a precursor to another game when things ran against them. In this fixture last season Accies came and produced a very good performance but lost by 2 points – were the rugby gods still not in our favour?
‘Accies move into single figures in the league table’
Once again the coaches had been forced to change a winning team and rejig the line-up, with Jason Currie, a vital corner stone in the scrum, injured, which is a severe loss, and Adam Lowry and Jack McCready both unavailable meant that this was yet another starting line-up for Accies. With the young 18 year old half backs, Robert McNaught and Finlay Neilson at the pivotal positions for the team they were under severe pressure.
However once the game got underway, Accies looked really lively and clearly last week’s win over Hamilton had given them confidence. The forwards were carrying with attitude and the backs were looking lively and sharp.
The first sign of Accies growing confidence was a superb break by returning open side flanker Stuart Holt who took the ball from well inside his own half and was finally stopped just outside Falkirk’s 22, a real boost to his team. Falkirk were defending well but when they did have the ball their hard working forwards seemed to struggling to make ground. When there seemed to be no way to move the ball from a ruck with players all over the place, young Robert McNaught, decided to take things into his own hands. With a couple of superb side steps he set off from just inside his half and having left the close quarter defenders in his wake he found himself in a bit of space and raced well into Falkirk territory where he manged to avoid several covering defenders, with very nifty footwork and then he drew the last defender and put a superb pass inside to the superbly supporting Gregor Macewan, who was clear for the first points of the game. What a thrilling start and just reward for some brilliant individual skills. Conversion missed 5 – 0
Shortly after this our Captain, Chris Johnstone, was forced to leave the battle with a damaged ankle, so Andy Jackson was yet again faced with rearranging the pack, and as Accies could only have 3 reserves on the bench, due to the lack of available front row forwards, he was forced to move his inside centre, Matt Holland, to blind side wing forward and move Kane Greggain into the second row, not ideal this early on. This also brought into play Scott Simmons who has been out for several weeks with a broken finger and who needed a 30 minute run, but was now going to have to play the majority of this game.
The game was being played at a cracking pace but it was clear that the loss of the skipper so early on was not a good thing. Both teams were giving their all and there was very little between them. However it did appear that Accies fast line of defence was forcing a serious number of handling errors from their opponents and reducing their threat. Accies, with some superb work from their back row and blind side winger took the ball right up to the opposition line, where it required some outstanding defending from Falkirk and with the referee, unfortunately being on the wrong side of a ruck to see the try, Falkirk avoided losing another 5 points. However the end result of all this pressure was a penalty in front of the posts and this seemed too good an opportunity and young Robert stepped up to convert. 8 – 0
Accies were on top and looking dangerous but Falkirk through some tenacious defending were still very much in the game. It took a superb break by Gregor Macewan to open up the Falkirk defence as he saw a real gap between the two first up defenders and real pace he raced through the gap, then as any good back should do, he straitened up and drawing the covering defenders, he saw none other than Robert McNaught inside, and reminding this scribe of some of the support work done by George Horne for Glasgow, Robert took the pass and showing a superb turn of pace to beat the remaining defender and crossed the line. Conversion missed 13 – 0
Once again Accies came back at Falkirk from the kick off and it was clear that Accies were looking for their next try. However, the rugby gods do seem to have something against Accies finishing a game with the same players that started it and it was very unfortunate that it was Robert McNaught that had to leave the field with a shoulder injury. On came Jacob Siems at scrum half, again a disruption to the team set-up. Accies then lost their centre come blind side flanker and once again the pack had to be rejigged. The young hooker from France, Pierre-Jean Quiers came and Greg Valentine moved from hooker to blind side! Accies clearly were going to have another afternoon of injuries but they regrouped and Tommy Speirs, now the on field captain, was rallying the troops who fought on until half time, denying their opponents any points in the first half.
Half – time – 13 – 0
It was clear from the start of the second half that the disruption to Accies pack was going to make life very difficult however it also has to be said that Falkirk took full advantage of the situation and were starting to look a great deal more dangerous than they had done in the first half. They had an extremely lively number 5 who was now creating problems in the open along with a replacement hooker who seemed to inject real purpose into the Falkirk forwards and they were now putting Accies defence under severe pressure. So it was not a surprise when Accies first line of defence was broken and with good support work Falkirk produced their first points. The conversion was missed. 13 – 5
Accies were still causing a threat but instead of the game being played mostly in Falkirk’s half, as it had been in the first half, it was now being played around the half way and Accies 10 metre line. Accies were trying to use what little wind there was to push their opponents back into the 22, but a slightly loose kick was fielded by Falkirk’s very quick full back who put his winger into the clear and it was only a superb tackle by Ross Cowan that stopped the move, but a penalty infringement let Falkirk put the ball into Accies pressure zone. It was now Accies turn to feel the pressure on their line and defend with attitude just as their opponents had done if the first half. Accies defence held on and eventually the danger was cleared. Falkirk’s tails were now well up and the crowd could feel that they were in with a chance of winning this game. From a messy piece of play in the centre of the field Falkirk moved the ball left and with two really good passed put their full back clear and this time as Ross came in for the tackle the ball was moved inside to the supporting number 5 who crossed on the left, the conversion slipped by. 13 – 10
With ten minutes to go and Accies players clearly finding things difficult Falkirk put in their final effort. But this Accies team has proved that they have spirit and determination and it was a tackle in the final minute by the 18 year old stand-off Finlay Neilson that epitomised this attitude. So despite their opponents throwing everything they had at them Accies defence stood firm and as the ball was knocked on by one of the Falkirk forwards, the cheers went up from the good Accies travelling support for a hard won and vital 4 points for Accies.
Full – time ---13 – 10
‘Small victories are better than none’ - Neal Shusterman
Over the last two weeks Accies have taken 9 points from two teams that were sitting above them in the league and have now moved from 11th to 9th, just reward for some really hard work and commitment from a group of young players who despite the number of injuries that their squad has suffered have come out every week and given their all.
Next Saturday we welcome our friends Stewarts Melville to New Anniesland for what I am sure will be a very tough encounter against a side that has only lost two games so far this season so a big support would really help their cause. Mo Smith, mo51@hotmail.co.uk is organising a pre-match lunch, with soup and a currie, for the occasion so if you have not already indicated you will be attending then please contact her as soon as possible to book a seat. Following that we travel the long distance to Old Anniesland for a Friday night fixture against GHK on the 22nd of November!
