Gavin Hastings Joins Accies for Lunch!

Gavin Hastings will be joining us for lunch on Saturday the 22nd of October as both the 1s and 2s return to New Anniesland.

There will be a succulent Lamb Shank with Red wine jus on offer, served with mashed potatoes and peas, followed by Fresh Fruit salad and Sorbet, all accompanied by wine. There will, as usual, be another fantastic raffle commensurate with the occasion, and entry to the game, all for £30. 

It will be first come first served, so please email dreid17@hotmail.co.uk as soon as possible if you would like to attend.

Accies Lunch - Saturday 24th V Boroughmuir

Saturday the 24th is our 2nd home game of the season and we will be welcoming Boroughmuir RFC to New Anniesland. It has been many years since these two famous clubs played against each other, not since the creation of Hawks and Accies having to play in the lower leagues of Scottish rugby. 

This will be a memorable day and one not to be missed. 

We are once again organising a superb lunch with John Beattie and a special guest who will be having a question-and-answer session after the meal and before the game. 

This will be the first lunch when Loch Lomond Whiskies will be present as our shirt sponsors, and we will have several very exciting raffle prizes associated with their work. We will also have members of the School's pipe band on duty to play for the assembled crowd and to pipe the players onto the pitch. 

The caterers will yet again be producing an exceptional meal coupled with some superb wines. We will also have a miniature Loch Lomond 12-year malt for everyone to enjoy.

A Saturday not to be missed, please Donald Reid (dreid@hotmail.co.uk) if you would like to be present. Tickets will be a £40 charge, payable on the day.

MENU:

Smoked Salmon Pate

Balmoral Chicken served with Vegetables and New Potatoes

King Tart

A day to Remember at New Anniesland

Glasgow Accies RFC 1st XV v Newton Stewart RFC 1st XV 

& 

Glasgow Accies RFC 2nd XV v Marr RFC 2nd XV 

The day started off with a lovely well attended lunch at which Roger Baird gave a very entertaining speech and all present enjoyed good food, good wine and some great rugby chat. 

The rugby was preceded by a minute’s silence to remember one of New Anniesland’s greatest supporters the legendary Andrew Howie, who was represented at the lunch and at the game by Ker Malcolm his grandson. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his presence at New Anniesland will be greatly missed. 

So, on a rather dreich and at times wet day the games got under way. The whole squad have been working hard all summer with great competition for places and I have to say that it showed today. As the coaches also commented the players commitment over the pre-season build-up has been great. 

On the 1st XV pitch a good crowd were entertained to 78 minutes of controlled, well drilled rugby from an Accies side that really looked as if meant business from the kick-off. One of Newton Stewarts great strengths has always been their strong and mobile pack but today Accies 8 were clearly in control. Driving their opponents off their put in and controlling their scrum when it was ours. The line outs were also well managed but what really impressed was the pressure that the players demonstrated at the breakdown. 

The first 10 minutes Accies were driving at Newton Stewart with hard running by the carrying forwards and then moving the ball wide with great accuracy, but as one would expect from the Borderers their defence was strong and aggressive, and when it was their job to defend, they never gave their opponents an inch to move about. Throughout this match Accies played with control and discipline and it was a pleasure to watch.  

The movement of ball in hand was silky smooth and always in front of the oncoming player, I did not see one dropped pass, and not only that but the timing was of the highest quality. The first try of the afternoon came after the ball had been moved right, then when it was stopped the opposition were penalised for an infringement but Accies move the ball left to another ruck just to the left of the posts where very accomplished Finlay Neilson, playing at 10, turn to his right and using the advantage of a “free ball” chipped a perfect ball into the right-hand corner for Oli Nash to collect and touch down.  The really tough conversion attempt by Gregor Macewan just wide                 5 – 0 

An unfortunate clash of heads meant that Rob McNaught and Phil Farren had to come off, both players were performing superbly and their departure could have really unsettled the side, but Fin Neilson moved to 9 and Ross Cowan to 10, with Oli Nash moving to 15 and Mark Ashdown replacing Phil in the front row and Sean Alton going onto the wing. As a testament to the drilling and preparation for the game the crowd would see no diminishing in the performance. 

A single try seemed scant reward for Accies dominance but it has to be said that you never get anything for nothing when the opponents are Newton Stewart, you really have to earning it.  Accies kept up the pressure and looked close to scoring from close range but were held up just short of the line. Penalty awarded for offside and our two Captains for the day, Kane Greggain and Ross Cowan decide as there was no more time left on the clock, before the excellent referee Craig Clark, would blow for half-time, they handed the ball to Gregor who added the 3 points. 8 – 0 

Half – time  8 – 0 

There were a few nervous supporters, who I think felt that we had not taken full advantage of our dominance of possession and that we might regret that. Well fear not for it is clear our coaches have used the good numbers and committed attitude of the squad over the summer to create a well drilled team that is capable of following a game plan and working it to their advantage. The level of forward dominance lapsed only once but for the rest of the game our forwards were feeding a smooth and dare I use the word, silky, back division. 

Accies were awarded two penalties and from these Fin Neilson put the ball to within 5  metres of the line. Another aspect of the summer work was the accuracy and clever use of the kicking game. The ensuing lineout and maul were superbly executed and resulted in a well-earned forwards try.  Gregor made no mistake with the conversion. 15 – 0 

The 2 minutes of lapsed concentration came when a loose ball, just inside the opposition’s half was hacked well into Accies territory and despite the attempts of several players to get on top of it, a Newton Stewart player collected the ball and ran the last 20 metres to score to the right of the posts. Conversion missed but points on the board. 15 – 5 

This incident focused Accies players minds and they were soon back well inside the opposition half. A feature of today’s game was the timing of passes, the ability of all players to at times delay the pass to give it maximum effect. After some superb interplay Gregor Macewan put boot to ball into Newton Stewart’s red zone, where the Newtons Stewart’s winger, under severe pressure scrambled it into touch. Yet another good line out and drive from the pack was held up several times but with good control of the ball and no sign of  ”white line fever” the forwards took the ball to in front of the posts and then with impeccable timing the ball was moved right and another floated pass from Ross saw Gregor over for the third 3rd try. He was clearly running on adrenalin and slotted the conversion from out wide on the right. 22 – 5 

The boys clearly wanted the bonus point try and went about getting it in a calm and controlled manor. At no time during the 80 minutes of rugby did this reporter feel that Accies were not totally in control of their game plan and their approach.   

With the game drawing to a close, Accies scored what some would see as the try that most summed up the day for Accies. From a lineout on the stand side the ball was moved to the left, good hands and silky passing saw the ball going down the left wing. Cover defence, as it had done all day was there for Newton Stewart but the ball was recycled and two runners off the ruck took the ball towards the line, again defended well, but then the ball was shifted to Gregor and he delayed and timed his floated pass to tight head prop Scott Hilton who almost danced over the line from 5 metres out. Unfortunately, the ball fell off the tee and the conversion was missed.  

A fitting way to score the bonus point try and complete what was a very successful start to Accies season.                              

Full – time   27 – 5 

Tired but happy players left the field to be greeted by the  2nd XV players who had just pulled off a memorable victory over Marr RFC 2nd XV, no mean feat when you reflect that last season Marr’s 2nd XV beat Accies comfortably both home and away. So, a 25 – 14 win was very satisfactory. 2 wins on the opening Saturday in September - a real rarity for New Anniesland but something all the players and coaches have worked very hard to achieve. 

Our coaches are working hard to develop a squad that means there is competition for all places and that both the 1’s and 2’s are playing to the same game plan. A solid start but as one of the coach’s commented, we’ve got another big game next week!  

I felt it was worth adding as a postscript the comments sent to me by one of our most loyal and regular supporters. 

“Many of our loyal supporters commented to me after the game not just about the excellent win against a very strong Newton Stewart side, but more about their pleasure in seeing an Accies side working together in every aspect of their performance, and committing to controlling the game in every aspect. Even after the early double injury blow to both scrum-half Rob McNaught and prop Phil Farren, the replacements slotted right in to the tactics without any apparent unsettling effects.  Such a disciplined performance reflected well on coaches Ryan Grant and Ruaridh Jackson and the others who have clearly set out their tactics, and gained the respect and support of the players.  It was a real joy to witness such a great team performance – congratulations to all concerned!” 

Report written by Donald Reid

Accies Travel to Bristol

At the weekend, 23 Accies travelled down to Bristol for what would be the last pre-season fixture for the 1st XV. Spirits were high and the boys were looking forward to testing themselves against top quality opposition as well as enjoying some team bonding over the course of the days down South.

On Friday, after an early flight, the boys went out to explore their new surroundings. Following that came an intense Grand Prix of Go-Karting at Absolutely Karting, culminating in a dominant performance by Rob McNaught with Head Coach, Ryan Grant, and Max Hutcheon finishing 2nd and 3rd, respectively. The worst two drivers of the day went to Phil Farren who finished last overall but also captain, Kane Greggain, who managed to crash multiple times resulting in one of the most boring races as the safety car never came off the track.

After a chilled Friday night with a team feed at the Beefeater, game day came around and the boys were up for their first test of the season. Arriving at Dings Crusaders it was clear that a very professional looking outfit were picked to face Accies and they came out of the blocks fast with an aggressive brand of rugby. The boys traded blows for the first 10 minutes with Accies staying in the game contesting very effectively at the breakdown before Dings’ 13 picked off an interception, running in under the posts.

7-0 to the home side.

Accies look to spread the ball wide

This really swung the momentum in their favour, their large pack took the opportunity with both hands and started hammering away at the Accies gain line and with two tries in quick succession from driving mauls, the boys found themselves 21-0 down in about as many minutes.

Unfortunately, the pressure refused to cease and after a number of minutes of battering on the Accies 22, the Dings second row found himself somehow out in the three-quarter line with an acre of space to crash over between some lacklustre defence from Accies. 28-0 after 30 minutes, lots of work to be done.

Following a grilling from Head coach Granty at half time and an intrinsic look at themselves, Accies rallied after the break and with a few substitutions, fought back into the game. With some new found aggression in the carry, the forwards won a couple penalties in a row and Accies found themselves on the Dings 10m line. A pre-planned strike move saw some slick hands through forwards and backs, ending in a trademark Ross Cowan outside break gliding outside the fullback and over the line. 28-7.

Jack McCready put under pressure to clear his lines

After trading scores, taking the game to 33-12, Accies took the game to Dings and after a period of pressure on their line, Jack McCready crashed over the line reducing the deficit to 33-17. At this point, the boys’ tails were up and continued applying pressure however the third had to be called to a hault prematurely due to an injury to a Dings player who we wish all the best to.

The third set of 30 minutes started in a similar fashion to the first, with a lot of Dings pressure however the Accies defence remaining strong. A clear strength that Accies intended to use was their prowess at the breakdown which kept them in the game, however, at times could be a bit overzealous resulting in a couple penalties taking them down to their own line where they were kept for much of the last 30. Following conceding a penalty at a driving maul, it was clear Dings intended on using their strength at scrum time where they asserted dominance throughout the game culminating in a walkover try. 38-17.

“Hoodie” distributing from the base

The score would remain at that, leaving it a comfortable win for Dings however not all was lost for the Accies boys. Despite some lessons to be learned, there were some positives to be taken from the game with the boys sticking in and competing at a very high level. Notable performances from Ross Cowan, Harry Briggs and Connor Simmons stood out, however, the whole team could be proud of how they bounced back after the first 30.

Attention now aims towards the first game of the season as both 1s and 2s take on Newton Stewart and Marr, respectively, at New Anniesland.

Accies Coach retires after 5 and a 1/2 successful years at the helm.

Andy Jackson is stepping down

A man who changed New Anniesland

Andy Jackson, or Beaver as his players call him, has decided that after five and a half years of success at New Anniesland it is now time to call it a day and pass on the baton. We are all extremely grateful to Andy for what he has achieved at New Anniesland. He has created a culture both on and off the pitch that has made it a pleasure to watch his teams and be involved with the club at all levels with the Clubhouse ringing to the sound of happy and welcoming supporters. Andy will be continuing to help the Club through his involvement with schools rugby and highlighting young and developing talent.

We all look forward to seeing Andy out at New Anniesland relaxing with his family - thank you Beaver from us all.

Accies lose out in a disappointing game at Hamilton

Referee right in the middle of the action

Accies first try -

Accies did well at lineouts and scrums until Tommy Spinks is yellow carded

Committed running from Ronan Joy

Accies second try - will done Finlay Neilson

Converting his own try

A determined Tommy Spinks

13 men could not hold back the charge.

A great win for Accies as they climb out of the relegation zone.

Glasgow Accies RFC v Kirkcaldy RFC

Played on 29th February 2020 at New Anniesland

Accies forwards produce a dominant display

We started today’s game with a minute’s silence in remembrance of the 3 year daughter of past Captain Jamie Doig. Jamie, his wife Kirsty and their 3 children, Hunter, Lachlan and Darcy emigrated to South Africa 2 years ago. A tragic accident resulted in 3 year old Darcy drowning in the family pool, a tragedy that all parents hope will never happen to them. We hope that the Doig family know that they are very much in our thoughts and hearts

After the minute’s silence the game got under way in cold and windy conditions but on a playing surface that was in magnificent conditions despite the atrocious weather. Once again the result of the efforts of Robert and his team were much appreciated by all who were there but most importantly by the players. Kirkcaldy kicked off and with what was perhaps an indication of what was to come; the ball ran into the dead ball area and out. Scrum back on halfway and the first evidence of the power of Accies pack was demonstrated when they drove their opponents back and gave their halfbacks the platform. From the start young Robert McNaught at scrum half was giving the opposition big back row something to think about and as is said –“kept them honest” whilst his half back partner and Captain, Ross Cowan, was using this possession to keep the opposition  on the back foot with some clever and accurate kicking.

Kirkcaldy are a big side with a strong back row and a 10/12/13 setup that would do credit to any team in the Premiership. However after a couple of sorties into Accies half using their big forwards to try and batter down Accies defence, Kirkcaldy conceded two penalties in quick succession as Accies defence applied the pressure. This allowed Ross Cowan to get his forwards to within 7 metres of the try line and from the ensuing lineout the forwards drove the ball over for the first try out wide on the right. A really tough conversion for the right footed Gregor Macewan, into the swirling wind and from the right side of the pitch, however much to the delight of the crowd he was successful.        7 – 0

It was clearly encouraging for the players to hear this large crowd, who had braved the cold and windy conditions to come out and support them, now in full voice. There followed a period of sustained pressure from the hard running Kirkcaldy back row and centres but some superb defence kept them on the back foot. The defensive attitude and commitment was another feature of the game in which every one of the Accies players played their part. Ross Cowan once again used the good possession that the pack was providing and with a couple of clever kicks had Accies deep inside Kirkcaldy’s 22. Accies came close on a couple of occasions but a knock on and a missed pass meant that they came away empty handed. Some good driving from their forwards and a great break by the big and strong running blindside wing forward, saw Kirkcaldy break into Accies 22. During this period of severe pressure the referee gave several penalties to Kirkcaldy and in fact put Accies on a formal warning. Kirkcaldy declined the 3 points and went for the lineout on the 5 metres, but again strong defence kept them out. It was perhaps more of a boost to Accies that no matter how hard Kirkcaldy tried they could not break down Accies defence. In fact Accies were able to drive Kirkcaldy backwards and the second try, which was at a crucial time and started to swing the game and scoreboard our way, was all started by a Robbie MacNaught 15m sniping counter attack  down the blindside on our 10m from a ruck built out of good defence, who flipped it to Ronan Joy who took it on a further few meters, only for  Connor Elliott to take it on, spin beautifully out of a tackle, the ball was collected by Connor Elliott who broke clear, crossed the opponents 10 metre line, drew the fullback and passed to the supporting Tommy Spinks, today’s man of the match, who romped home from 35 metres out. A great try in good conditions but superb in today’s conditions.  Tough conversion missed.    12 – 0

There followed a period of intense pressure as the Kirkcaldy players worked really hard to get back into the game. It was Accies dominance in the scrums and lineouts along with their superb aggressive defence that kept Kirkcaldy out and prevented any more scoring in the first half.   Half-time  12 – 0   The second half started, as did the snow, producing horrendous conditions to play any style of rugby and so despite having the majority of time on the ball, Kirkcaldy could not break down the Accies defence and in truth did not look like scoring. Their stand-off tried hard to keep the pressure on Accies with some quality kicks into the right hand corner, but again this was well defended by the Accies backs.

When Kirkcaldy tried to vary their attack and move the ball along their backs Accies put real pressure on the ball carrier and forced them backwards thus pushing Kirkcaldy well out of Accies danger zone. Then from a ruck just inside Accies half,  Calum Duke collected a bouncing ball and breezed past the first line of defence, leaving several Kirkcaldy defenders in his wake, took the ball 20 metres inside Kirkcaldy’s half and when he was finally stopped he managed to offload to the supporting Sean Alton who drew another three desperate defenders and when he looked to his supporting teammates, who should be on hand, yes Calum Duke, who race in the final 20 metres to the line and even sidestepped the last defender. This was a try that would have done credit to any team in our National Leagues. I think the excitement of the try was a factor in Gregor missing the conversion.     17 – 0

Accies were now 3 scores ahead and a few supporters were clearly feeling more relaxed. Kirkcaldy were now having to chasing the game and it was again some superb attacking defence that forced their scrum half, who had had a good game, to try and move the ball forward, however his kick was charged down by Sean Alton, who then hacked it the 30 metres to the try line and drop on the ball, to the absolute delight of Accies supporters. This time the conversion was good.    24 – 0

This had proved to be a great day for Accies and despite a last minute try for Kirkcaldy, Accies had demonstrated how well they are capable of playing, both in attack and defence.  .     The missed conversion saw the referee bring the game to a close.   Full – time    24 – 5   I think it would be safe to say that most who had turned out at New Anniesland had expected a very close encounter and with Kirkcaldy still in the race for promotion and having beaten Accies 45 – 23 in the first encounter at Beveridge Park they were probably expecting a win for Kirkcaldy. Well clearly nobody had mentioned that to this Accies side. Accies pack dominated the scrums and lineouts and therefore deprived Kirkcaldy of a platform to attack off and despite the hard running of their large forwards and centres they were getting nowhere with their game plan. Accies coaches will have learned a great deal about their squad today and will no doubt have areas of the game that they can improve on, but a great deal of credit has to go to Andrew Jackson, Ryan Grant and Tony Smith for the way they have managed to turn this team around and take them to 32 points, a great result. Our next encounter is on Saturday against Hamilton Bulls who sit one place above Accies but will be formidable opponents especially on their own turf. Our next home fixture is against Falkirk who we narrowly beat in the first encounter.

Accies RFC team to face 5th placed Kirkcaldy RFC

Accies still do not have a settled side but the coaches have worked hard with their squad and the players who will take the field tomorrow are:

Backs:-

15. John StRachan

14. Colin Taylor

13. Gregor Macewan

12. Ronan Joy

11. Campbell McCready

10. Ross Cowan (C)

9. Robert McNaught

Forwards:-

1. Chris Goodfellow

2. Tadhg Power

3. Jason Currie

4. Chris Johnstone

5. Calum Duke

6. Kane Greggain

7. Connor Elliott

8. Tommy Spinks

Finishers:-

16. Chris Scott

17. Greg Valentine

18. Sean Alton

19. Matthew McCaw

We wish the boys well in what is going to be a very tough encounter against a side 5 places above us, but there is no doubting the commitment and attitude of these players.

Accies survive Storm Dennis and gain 5 points

National 2 League Match - 15th Feb 2020

Accies v Gordonians

The first thing that must be said is a VERY BIG thank you to Robert Cheape and his team for all their hard work to make today’s game possible. It meant that the players from Aberdeen had not travelled in vain and that Accies could relax and enjoy watching Scotland take on Italy next week. The pitch was in amazing condition and Robert and his men were out forking the pitch for over an hour before kick-off, aided by Nigel Campbell and his dog!!!! The players and supporters owe them a lot as you can see:-

What stars - 3 men and a dog!!!

So as to the game itself played in what were atrocious conditions of heavy rain and blustery wind which was always going to be a great leveller and the really strong support was, I am sure not expecting a great deal of expansive rugby. Accies showed a real commitment as they kicked off, playing towards the clubhouse, and a really well placed kick saw the ball roll into touch inside Gordonians 22 and Accies spent the next 10 minutes putting their opponents under severe pressure with great forward drives and the centres doing the same. It was to Gordonians credit that their defence stood firm and kept Accies out and pointless. Accies pack was clearly in positive mode and dominated the early scrummaging exchanges. However with Gordonians first sortie into Accies half a knock by Accies resulted in a scrum 5 metres inside Accies territory. With Accies pack going forward the scrum collapsed and today’s referee decided that it was Accies loose head prop who had brought the scrum down and awarded a penalty to Gordoninas. The very skilful Gordonians centre put the ball deep inside Accies 22.  At the ensuing lineout Accies were deemed to have entered the maul from the side – another penalty. The lineout on the 5 metres line was won and the drive successful and Accies found themselves 5 points down. A successful kick in difficult conditions put Gordonians in front.   0 – 7

Well once again Accies found themselves inside Gordonians 22 from a really good restart. After a knock on at the lineout another strong scrum resulted in a penalty. What to do now, take the 3 points on offer or, as todays captain, Ross Cowan decided another scrum. Again dominant scrum, pick up and drive from number 8 Tommy Spinks and when he was stopped the ball was recycled, another pick and drive from the forwards and but this time when the ball came back young Robert McNaught released the backs and, despite the wet and greasy ball, four quality passes, one out of the back door, saw winger Colin Taylor cross out wide on the right. A try that would have been special in good conditions but exceptional in today’s conditions. This reporter has to admit that he turned to experienced player and coach, Stuart Simmers and suggested that there was around a 10 percent chance of a right footed kicker making this kick in these conditions. Well Gregor Macewan clearly didn’t hear and put over a magnificent conversion. I will have to reassess my percentages!               7 – 7

Accies deserved to be level but a mistake from the restart when they attempted to clear their lines saw Gordonians awarded yet another penalty which they happily accepted and went ahead 2 minutes after Accies had levelled the scores.    7 – 10 This seemed to motivate the Gordonians players and they had the best 15 minutes of the game but their only reward was another penalty.     7 – 13. It should be said that in terms of possession and territory Gordonians deserved their 6 point lead. However with the first half drawing to a close, Accies restart was again superb and they forced a lineout inside Gordonians 22. Lineout won and a superb drive saw man of the match Calum Duke cross the line for a well-deserved and superb forward try. Another well-judged kick by Gregor Macewan, using the elements to major effect saw the ball sail through the uprights.     14 – 13

Accies were ahead after 40 minutes despite having been under severe pressure for many periods of the half. It was clear how the players felt as when Gordonians were awarded a penalty minutes after the try they tapped the ball and kicked it into touch – “let’s get out of the rain for a few minutes!”

Half-time 14 – 13

Accies emerged from the clubhouse to get the second half underway. Gordonians kick-off was secured and the forwards were back up and running. The first scrum of the half demonstrated just how much Ryan Grant’s coaching has developed this pack. It was the first of at least 6 scrums that Accies drove their opponents off their own put, a demoralising effect on their opponents and give the backs a real chance to drive at their opponents which the three quarters took full advantage off. Accies were soon well inside their opponents half and were using the forwards dominance of their opposite pack to stamp their authority on the game. It was clear that the coaches had decided at training how they should play in what was expected to be wet and windy conditions. However it was the backs who were to grab the first opportunity of the second half when after some great work in the build up by their forwards the ball was moved quickly to Ross Cowan and the stand-off put a grubber kick in behind the opposition and Jack McCready was first to it, he sensibly did not try to pick it up but hacked it towards the try line and won the race. A truly condition generated try! A relatively easy conversion, giving Gregor’s earlier successes, was missed.        19 – 13

Gordonians were most certainly not out of this contest and it had been clear from early on that they were determined to get something out of this match in what was an important relegation battle. No matter how they tried it was their lack of ability to get out of the grip that Accies pack both in the tight and the loose had over them that was stifling their ability to threaten Accies line. They did have an opportunity to pick up 3 points from a penalty but the wind threw it off course. Accies dominance at the scrums was allowing Ross Cowan to keep Accies inside their opponents 22. At a lineout, as a result of one of these penalties, Accies pack produced a perfect drive which was taken down, another penalty and another scrum. A great platform allowed Ross Cowan to once again put the ball into the red zone less than 5 metres from the try line. Gordonians appeared to have recycled the ball but some serious pressure on the clearance kick saw the ball being charged down and Gregor Macewan on hand to fall on the loose ball for Accies 4th and importantly, bonus point try. Yet another super kick by Gregor saw the 2 points being added and Accies 13 points clear.         26 – 13

Jason Currie, our returning tight head prop, had a major impact on today’s outcome and when asked after the game how he had enjoyed it, he relied “I have never been so cold on a rugby pitch in my life”! Well with 10 minutes to go Jason was injured, perhaps an opportunity to get off and warmed up and he was replaced by Chris Scott. He was quickly followed by Tommy Spinks who had played with an injured knee and had also had a superb game. Tommy was replaced by Ronan Joy and outside centre Matt Holland moved up to the pack, which little change the centres role, as to be honest he had been performing as an extra forward all day, carrying the ball and driving into rucks. These changes did not alter things and the game remained in Accies grip.

A real warrior

It was an impressive second half performance by all the Accies players and a strong and vocal support was given many reasons to be happy at the end of the game. Accies most definitely dominated the second forty minutes and had the ability to handle the conditions and the opposition today. This reporter cannot remember watching such a dominant scrum, which got better as the game went on, something that requires good coaching and hard work by the players. Today was not a day for fancy rugby and the fact that 3 of Accies 4 tries were scored by backs was not an indication of where the game was really won. 8 forwards will have gone to bed happy but very tired, they did a superb job.

Full – time 26 – 13

Accies are now sitting on 27 points and are 9 points clear of Falkirk in 10th place, who have 3 games in hand but some very tough matches and 11 points clear of today’s opponents Gordonians who have played the same number of fixtures. This was a very important win for Accies and the players can go into the final 5 games (3 at home) with the confidence that a win brings. Today’s support also meant a great deal to the players and they were aware of the volume of support that had made the real effort to come out on this horrendous day – it was really appreciated. I feel I should end this report with another note of appreciation to Robert Cheape for without his commitment today’s game could not have gone ahead and the players would not have the points in the bag!!!! The only grass pitch that was played on in the West of Scotland, thanks Robert.  

A good kick in the normal play but exceptional in today’s conditons

Accies return to action at New Anniesland

The Accies team to take on Gordonians in a crucial clash.

Robin McNaught in action will start at 9

This is Accies squad for tomorrow’s crucial match against Gordonians at New Anniesland

1. Chris Goodfellow

2. Greg Valentine

3. Jason Currie

4. Chris Johnstone

5. Calum Duke

6. Sean Alton

7. Kane Greggain

8. Tommy Spinks

9. Robert McNaught

10. Ross Cowan (C)

11. Jack McCready

12. Scott Simmons

13. Matthew Holland

14. Colin Taylor

15. Gregor Macewan

16. Chris Scott

17. Piers-Jean Quiers

18. John Strachan

19. Ronan Joy

Here’s hoping the weather doesn’t dominate the game.

Accies struggle on a heavy pitch and after a long journey

Tennent’s National League Division 2     Glasgow Accies RFC v Newton Stewart RFC

Played on 25th January 2020 at Bladnock Park

Accies boarded the bus for the tough journey through the twisting roads to Bladenock Park, for the second time this season, to take on Newton Stewart. It is always a difficult place to go and get anything from the game. Their first journey proved to be a waste of fuel and time as the pitch was never going to be playable with a deep frost all over Scotland, hence the reason for the second journey.

Accies were still missing some key forwards but took to the field, as always, with hopes of a surprise being sprung. Well 1 minute from kick off and Newton Stewart were awarded a penalty in front of the posts and Accies were behind.      0 - 3

From the restart Accies raced into their opponents half but from the ensuing ruck the Newton Stewart scrum half, knowing the wind was at his back, sent a high, speculative kick back into Accies half. The ball bounced between the winger and fullback and straight into the on rushing Newton Stewart winger and over the line before you could zip up your jacket. The easy conversion was successful.           0 – 10

What a desperately difficult start and a clear indication that the players had not got the bus trip out of their systems. However from the second restart Accies took the play well into their opponents half and were starting to play some good rugby. They pinned them back and it was looking as if they might get something from this encounter. However another good clearance, using the wind to their advantage, saw the home side back into Accies 22. A missed tackle and they had found a route to the line and Accies were 2 tries down.       0 - 15.

Accies heads could well have gone down with what had happened but this is a side with spirit and they were still very much in the game and at times look like they could put some points on the board  but other than a missed penalty no chance seemed to materialise.

However there was one incident in the first half  that could have swung the pendulum of the game. Ross Cowan was spear tackled by their scrum half and driven down onto his neck. Gregor Macewan rushed in the push the scrum half away as the referee blew his whistle. Immediately he yellow carded Greg, then turning to the culprit, indicated that he thought Ross had landed on his back so all that he required was a yellow card, much to the surprise of the Accies players and supporters.  So no advantage was gained by Accies as the sides remained even and there was no more scoring in the first half.

Half – time  0 – 15

Accies kicked of the second half and once again Newton Stewart struck within a minute. Again it resulted from a missed tackle and some very good support running and Accies were another 5 points behind.                            0 – 20

Accies now had their best spell of the game and threw everything at their opponents. After a good period of pressure on the try line the ball was whipped wide and over romped Colin Taylor for his first try of the season.                5 – 20

For the next 25 minutes there was nothing between the sides and Accies were running at the opposition with real attitude. Once again Calum Duke was putting in a big shift with some great carries and tackles. However another simple inside pass from their scrum half, and yet another missed tackle and they romped home from halfway with a couple of good support runners and scored under the posts.       5 – 27.

Accies were now really chasing the game and were not able to make full use of the wind. However they were still trying to play rugby and when Chris Goodfellow tried a long pass out to the unmarked winger, the opposition centre pounced and romp home from 20 yards. Another try under the posts and Accies were out of the game.            5 – 34

To be fair Newton Stewart were the better side but Accies never stopped trying to play rugby and if fact came very close to scoring on a number of occasions, but it was not to be.

Full – time     5 – 34 

This was always going to be a tough game for Accies, but the loss of Scott Simmons within the first 10 minutes, with a hip injury and Tadhg Power carrying a knee injury made the task even harder. Accies have given away far too many soft tries this season and I am sure the coaches will be using the three week break to fine tune our defensive frailties that we have seen in recent games. It is this scribes opinion that a truer reflection of the game would have been 5 – 20.

Accies next fixture is probably the biggest of their season against relegation threatened Gordonians, who are coming to Anniesland for what could be a relegation decider. With only five games remaining a win for Accies would see them go 10 points clear of the 11 placed Gordonians. So a must win game and I know the difference a big support makes to the players confidence and it would give them just that little edge to get the result we all hope for.

The first encounter of the season was a disaster with over 16 players unavailable and by full time we only had 13 fit players with two in hospital. The players will be desperate to put that right. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at New Anniesland and if you can possibly make it there is a pre-match lunch (contact Mo Smith Mo51@hotmail.co.uk) where we will all have a chance to discuss the game and Scotland’s first two games of the 6 Nations. I look forward to the day and chatting to as many of you as possible.

Accies vital win away at Whitecraigs

Glasgow Accies RFC v Whitecraigs RFC

Played on 18th January 2020 at West Lodge

Accies secure 4 vital points

Accies took to the field against fellow league strugglers with a much depleted pack. There was no Greg Valentine, Tadhg Power or Jason Currie in the front row and no Greg Connelly or Chris Johnstone in the second row and PJ Rankin, Kenneth Beattie, Stuart Holt or Tommy Spinks in the back row, however the players that were picked put in a really hard shift. With the second-row pairing of Calum Duke and Sean Alton (usual position wing-forward) playing an outstanding role in Accies performance and the makeshift front row of Chris Goodfellow, Pierre-Jean Quiers and Chris Scott must take a great deal of satisfaction from their performance and effort.

Whitecraigs started the stronger and their forwards were producing good ball for their hard running backs. In the early encounters the Whitecraigs pack were controlling the scrums, but as the rejigged Accies 8 settled there was very little between them, although it should be said that Whitecraigs were in control at the lineout and Accies forwards stronger in open play. 

From a move inside their half, Whitecraigs outside centre took a superb short pass on an inside run and broke through Accies first line of defence, carrying the ball well inside Accies territory. With their tails up they worked the ball to within metres of Accies line and their pack managed to force the ball over Accies line, close to the posts, for the first try. Unfortunately their kicker was not on form today and missed the conversion.      0 – 5

As we have seen all season Accies went straight back on the attack and there followed a period of sustained Accies pressure which resulted in a relatively simple penalty opportunity for Gregor Macewan from just outside the 22 and to the right of the posts, good contact and Accies were on the scoreboard.    3 – 5

With the game still finely balanced Accies second row pairing started to put together some good carries this was putting Whitecraigs on the defensive and some clever work by Ross Cowan nearly saw Accies add to their total but the final pass went astray and the opportunity had gone. Accies tails were up and it wasn’t long before the pack were once again pounding at the Whitecraigs line and despite some stout defensive work it was only fitting that Calum Duke saw his opportunity and with the support of his fellow forwards forced his way over for Accies first try.  Tough conversion was just missed but Accies were now ahead.        8 – 5

Whitecraigs were working really hard to get themselves back into the game but superb defence and real commitment from all 15 players kept them at bay. It was, in fact, Accies who finished the first half the stronger and even had a chance to extend their lead with a penalty. Unfortunately despite a good strike the ball bounced back off the upright.  So with Accies pack on top in the loose and Whitecraigs dominating the lineout there was nothing between the sides as the half-time whistle was blown.

Half – time  8 – 5

At the break Whitecraigs introduced their star back, who for those who watched the first encounter, when he scored two tries from distance, is a potent weapon. It took him just 2 minutes to show his class beating his opposite number and getting to within yards of the line, and when his forwards recycled the ball he was once again on hand to barge over. Again the conversion was missed, but was this to be the turning point in the game?     8 -10

Accies regrouped and with an injury to Chris Goodfellow and only a hooker available to come on, the scrums had to go uncontested. This did not seem to have a major bearing on the game as Whitecraigs were dominating the lineout and Accies still making yards with ball in hand.

As so often happens we then had a period of stalemate as neither side seemed to be able to get a grip on the game. Possibly with winning such a rare commodity this season, for both sides, the dropped balls and missed passes were just a sign of desperation and players trying too hard.

However Accies eventually found a route down the left through some good work by the ever alert and nippy scrum half Rob McNaught and a couple of well-timed passes saw Ross Cowan race to the line only to be stopped just short. This clearly encourage the Accies players and again with some good driving and slick passing they worked themselves back into Whitecraigs danger zone. Once again it was Calum Duke, with ball in hand, who crossed the whitewash to score the second try. This time, it was Finlay Neilson, having taken over the kicking duties, in the absence of Gregor Macewan, who slotted the ball between the posts from 15 metres to the left.       15 – 10

Whitecraigs now threw everything at Accies and their Club President, Craig Percival, playing in the front row, leading the way with some storming carries, but Accies makeshift pack worked tirelessly to hold back the tide. Whitecraigs half time replacement also did everything he could but Accies backs were up to the task and very few tackles were now being missed.

A final surge by Accies, after a superb break, by Robert McNaught, from inside his own half, saw the ball into Whitecraigs 22. A couple of moves came to nothing but the referee saw an infringement at a ruck and Accies had a penalty 35 metres out and to the left of the posts. Up stepped Finlay Neilson to convert the penalty and put Accies 8 points ahead which meant that Whitecraigs had to score twice.           18 – 10

Whitecraigs did all they could to get back into the game but with the minutes dying away and Accies still defending in numbers, their efforts came to nothing. The final whistle was blown and Accies had secured the 4 points that they so desperately needed.

Full – time   18 – 10

This has been a really tough season so far and with yet another different set of players turning out it is proof that the spirit in the camp is really good and that we are blessed to have some great reserves in the wings. A stand out effort must go to Club Captain Chris Scott who stepped in to cover the tighthead position, well done Scott. I think it is a credit to all concerned that despite the number of players who were unavailable for today’s match those selected performed so well that we won the vital points.

Some great photos once again from Bob Johnstone of Saturday’s victory - thank you Bob

A good day for centre Ronan Joy

On the charge once again - Calum Duke

A try was just reward for a great performance

The winning try from MOTM Calum Duke

Always a threat was Robert McNaught

Captain Ross Cowan

Quality kicking was the difference

Chris Scott gave his all

Defence was vital against a side working hard to attack

There was always a threat

Jack McCready back in the action

Good skills

Man of the match performance

Accies take on strong Dumfries Team

Glasgow Accies RFC v Dumfries Saints RFC

Played on 11th January 2020 at New Anniesland

Accies put up a brave fight against League leaders.

Dumfries arrived at New Anniesland surprised by the superb conditions they encountered. Thanks to Robert and his team the pitch was firm and therefore eminently playable, unlike many pitches around the country. The Dumfries players were clearly full of confidence and one or two of their supporters were, I think it would be safe to say, supremely confident.

The encouragingly good number of supporters who had come to New Anniesland, on this wet and cold day, had hardly taken their seats than Dumfries were over the try line. A mistake at the kick-off resulted in a lineout inside Accies 22, on the stand side, which Dumfries won and with some quick passes and accurate running from their strong back division their outside centre carved through Accies defence to score under the posts, what a start.          0 – 7

It could not have been a worse start for Accies and even the confident Dumfries supporters were surprised. There was a silence amongst Accies supporters as they waited to see if their team would be demoralised by such a quick set back. Well, they needn’t have worried. Accies attacked Dumfries from the kick-off and whether it was with ball in hand or when they were defending they put their opponents under real pressure. They worked themselves deep into Dumfries’s danger zone and after several well controlled pick and goes by the forwards they were rewarded with a try by Ryan Sweeney. A good conversion from out on the right by Gregor Macewan was a just reward.      7 – 7

Accies were now looking like the team in control and were maintaining the tempo of hard running and strong defence and Dumfries looked shocked. This effort was then rewarded with a penalty just outside the 22 and to the left of the posts. Up stepped a confident Gregor Macewan to add another 3 points and Accies were ahead.         10 – 7

Could there be an upset on the cards? Well before the crowd had gathered themselves than Accies went to sleep and I can only describe it as they gave away an exceptionally soft try, when the clearance from the kick was not dealt with.           10 – 12

No side can afford to give away points to teams of the calibre of this Dumfries side. This try was a clear encouragement to Dumfries and they were now on top. Some strong running off the back of scrums and a good back division once again produced a gap in what had been a good defensive effort, and their third try was scored.                  10 – 17

So despite a brilliant effort for most of the first half and giving away two soft tries Accies were still very much in this game.  Accies were now trailing by only 7 points.  They picked up the pace of their game and once again looked liked they knew how to control this game and this resulted in a period camped inside Dumfries’s 22 and from some very good patient work by the pack they produced a chance for Ryan Sweeney to cross for his second try. However, this was wideout on the right and a good conversion attempt slide past.         15 – 17

So despite the difference in league positions Accies were by no means out of this contest when the whistle was blown for the end of the first half.

Half-time 15 – 17

Accies started the second half and had clearly had a positive talk at half-time. They were running hard and once again keeping their opponents pinned back in their 22. From a misdemeanour, at yet another ruck Gregor Macewan once again stepped up to convert the penalty into points and put Accies ahead for the second time.         18 – 17

Accies were on top for the first 20 minutes and it looked as if Accies could be capable of springing a real upset here. However Dumfries are where they are in the league because they are capable of taking advantage of any slip-up by their opponents, so when the kick off after the penalty was spilled on Accies 22 they lifted their game and spirits. Their key players cajoled their team mates and they went on the attack, and for the third time in the game Accies gave away a very soft try. The ball was chipped from just outside Accies 22 into Accies danger zone and the bouncing ball was not dealt with by the Accies defence and as it crossed the line one of the Dumfries players fell on it.    18 – 22.

With 8 minutes left to play Accies were still in losing bonus territory and were in fact still capable of scoring again. They tried really hard to lift their game but a couple of soft penalties and Accies were once again defending their line and it felt inevitable that Dumfries would find a gap and put Accies outside any bonus points. Forward drives produced the opportunity for their 5th try and Accies were left with 5 minutes to pull something out of this encounter but with the conversion they put themselves 11 points clear.     18 – 29

Accies kept trying and with a couple of superb breaks they were once again inside Dumfries territory and the desperately needed 5 points just didn’t appear. A great effort and a game of great commitment and skill had resulted in a closer encounter than many were expecting.

Full-time 18 – 29

Accies coaches woke up on Saturday to be told that 3 of the players had succumbed to food poisoning and would be unable to play. So there started some frantic phone calls which resulted in Ryan Sweeney and Jack McLean joining the team at the 11th hour. Never a good start to an important game, but the players all stepped up and could leave New Anniesland proud of their efforts. This was a game that nobody expected Accies to win so it was to the players’ immense credit that the general opinion at the end of this encounter was that they were unlucky not to get something out of the game. However, if Accies can reproduce this performance and not give away 3 soft tries per game they will win more games than they lose in the run into the end of the season.

Again many thanks to Bob Johnstone for a great pictorial record of a great effort it is really appreciated:-

Accies lose to a strong Preston Lodge Pack

Preston Lodge RFC v Glasgow Accies RFC              

Played on 14th December 2019 at Prestonpans

The drive through in heavy rain into a gale with the overhead gantries flagging up yellow warning ice forecast did nothing to persuade Accies that today was going to be a fun day out in the East. On the contrary, it had been dry in Prestonpans all morning and at kick off we received a dose of wintry sun which lasted most of the first half and took the edge of a chilly breeze. Although the referee for today lives in Edinburgh, he had been allocated the Whitecraigs home match and stayed overnight in Glasgow with his parents. Imagine his anguish therefore when he received the call that our  original referee had fallen ill and could he cover his ‘local’ match at Preston Lodge!

We played with the stiff breeze in the first half and we made some useful clearances. However, we know from old that Preston Lodge have a hefty strong pack and with a few key players missing from the pack we were in for a challenging afternoon. It only took the home pack seven minutes to grind their way up the pitch from Accies 10m line through a succession of pick and goes to score near the posts. Conversion missed 5-0

The cold wind made handling tricky and with breakdowns in the offing the home side used their forward power to our 22 to advance their scrum enough to set up another forwards try near the posts after 15 minutes. Conversion made 12-0

Ten minutes later an almost identical situation occurred except that Accies stalwart defence held out for several attempts and in the end Accies No8 Kane Greggain was fighting for everything when was adjudged to have collapsed the maul and prevented a certain try. Penalty try and Kane could relax for 10 minutes with a yellow card. 19-0

The forward power of the home side was unrelenting not only in the loose, but especially in the scrum, and yet when they moved the ball wider they could make very little headway with many positional and handling errors. It was from such a handling error in the 33rd minute that Scott Simmons picked up the loose ball in Preston Lodge’s 22 and ducked and dived his way through for an encouraging score under the posts. Converted by young John Strachan 19-7

The centre partnership of Holland and Simmons were working well, ably supported by Chris Woods, but Accies were being starved of possession to allow them more attacking option.

Only five minutes later our own scrum was driven back well into our 22 which gave way to a forward rush and a score under the posts. Converted. 26-7.

Only three minutes later and just before half time, an aimless kick from their full back up to the centre line was allowed to bounce and instead of an Accie pair of hands, it went straight into their centre’s breadbasket and split the defence in two for a breakaway score out wide. This was a simple lack of concentration but reinforced the home team’s first half dominance. Conversion missed.

Half Time 31-7

We turned round into the stiff breeze in the second half and played with more determination. Our scrum was holding up a little better although their lineout was much more secure than our own. It was nearly half way through the second half before Preston Lodge got into our 22 and from another series of forward drives and pick and go our stalwart defence were unable to hold back the attacking waves. Try under the posts. Conversion made. 38-7

We were still making a contest out of the second half, but on 65 minutes a break through the middle on our 10m line allowed their big No8 to break two tackles and force his way through for a try just wide of the posts. Conversion missed. 43-7

With only five minutes to go and both sides tiring, a succession of comic missed kicks from both sides allowed the home team winger to pounce on a stray bouncing ball to romp home near the corner. When you are playing with confidence the loose balls seem to go your way and this was a good example of that. Conversion made 50-7

No further plays of any significance were made and the game came to a close.

Full – time  50 – 7

The score line was a true reflection of the difference in the teams.  However, had our experienced bulk in the pack  been available this could have been a different contest and we would clearly have disrupted the home teams dominance up front, preventing their forwards such scoring opportunities, and would have undoubtedly allowed our enterprising backs more freedom to cut loose.

There were encouraging performance from less experienced players and this will give them much needed experience to show them what will be required of them in the future. A much needed break for the festive season now awaits the team and this will allow the team to regroup.  A tough opening match on Saturday 11th January against Dumfries awaits preceded by a supporters lunch being organised by Mo Smith to which everyone is encouraged to attend,

Accies lose out in the rain

Glasgow Accies RFC v Peebles RFC

Played on 7th December 2019 at New Anniesland

On a really miserable day for rugby with the rain pouring down and the wind blowing into the stand the game against Peebles started. It was clear from the early on that this was not going to be a great spectacle for the true supporters that had ventured out on this wintery December afternoon. Both sides were finding the conditions difficult to deal with cold hands and a tricky wind it was inevitable that the ball would be dropped and passes missed.

However, and perhaps the most influential event in the game came after 15 minutes when Ross Cowan, playing a really pivotal role at 10, damaged his wrist in a tackle and had to be replaced, a severe blow to the fluidity of the game.  Accies had made a reasonably positive start but it was Peebles who put together the best passage of play so far in the game with some good close quarter passes. They worked their way deep inside Accies territory and forced a scrum 10 metres out from the line.  A missed tackle allowed their scrum half to score from the scrum. This was also not a day for the kickers and the conversion was missed.                     0 – 5

The game could not get going as players from both sides were finding the conditions really difficult. However Accies seemed to be more affected by this and the rhythm of their game seemed to go, and they could not build a platform and their game plan disappeared . It was this apparent lack of focus that allowed Peebles to maintain their pressure inside Accies half and Peebles capitalised from another two missed tackles which saw them race home for another try this time close to the posts so an easy conversion.            0 – 12.

Accies forwards pulled things together and from some good close quarter forward carries worked themselves deep into Peebles territory. To their credit they kept the pressure on and when the opportunity arose Kenneth Beattie was on hand to score a good forwards try close to the Peebles posts.  Conversion by Gregor Macewan was successful.        7 – 12

Accies were clearly buoyed by this and were quickly back inside Peebles territory and a resulting penalty was converted to pull Accies very close to their opponents.        10 - 12

The second half was drawing to a close and the Peebles stand-off saw a gap behind our left winger and put a well-judged kick inside the 22. The only problem was that the Peebles winger was approximately 5 metres in front of his stand off but unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your point of view, the referee did not notice it and the winger collected the ball and ran under the posts to score.  A severe blow just before half time.                   10 – 19

Half – time 10 – 19

The second half was, if anything, an even poorer 40 minutes. It is really difficult to play the type of rugby that Accies are working hard to perfect when you are wet, your hands are cold and the game has become totally disjointed.

It was another mistake that allowed Peebles to work themselves into Accies 22 and from some more hard caring from their forwards they crossed again for their bonus point try, which was not converted.             24 – 10

However it was Accies who reacted best to this try and after a couple of penalties they were camped close to their opponent’s line.  Once again good work from the forwards saw the pack putting real pressure on the Peebles line with some aggressive ‘pick and goes’ and after several close calls the referee decided that Peebles had infringed at the ruck and a penalty was awarded. As the players regrouped Kenneth Beattie, now the captain after Chris Johnston was replaced after damaging his ankle, took charge and a quick tap saw him barge over for his second try. Conversion good and Accies were within 7 points. 17 – 24

It has to be said that Accies did not look like scoring again and as Peebles finished the game stronger Accies were defending with their usual great spirit. In the dying moments and with the game won Peebles were awarded a penalty from just outside the 22 and slightly to the left of the posts. They decided to go for the points which would have deprived Accies of a valuable losing bonus point. All of Accies supporters were holding their breath as the kick slid past the left hand upright – phew.

A disappointing game in atrocious conditions but at least the losing bonus point had been secured.

Full time  17 – 24

Accies have had a very tough first half of the season and been forced to play a different 15 every week so far this year and this is a real problem for coaches and players to organise themselves around their game plan. This Saturday is the last game of 2019 and the players will have a break over Christmas so let’s hope that we can see some players returning from injury and get a real charge at the last 9 games of the season.

Boxing Day Festivities at New Anniesland

Accies west and GHK legends are playing a round-robin touch tourney starting at 12pm.

Accies 1st XV vs Exiles kicks off at 1.30pm with Craig Clarke refereeing.

There will be a Hog Roast to keep everyone fed and the bar opens at 12-8pm.

Great annual family day. See you all there hopefully..

Accies win away at Falkirk

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!

Accies team to face Kirkcaldy on Saturday 19th October

Accies travel to Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy and here is the team to face them:

Backs

15. Jack McCready

14. Colin Taylor

13. Gregor Macewan

12. Finlay Neilson

11. Campbell McCready

10. Adam Lowry

9. Jacob Siems

Forwards

1. Christopher Goodfellow

2. Tadhg Power

3. Jason Currie

4. Christopher Johnstone (C)

5. . Kenneth Beattie

6. Greg Valentine

7. Stuart Holt

8. Tommy Spinks.

Reserves

16. Chris Scott

17. Ed Mullock

18. Kane Greggain

19. Matt Holland

Some photos from Saturday 5th October at New Anniesland

A good day was had by all at New Anniesland as Accies pick up 5 much needed points

A sponsors day - enjoyed by all

Gregor Macewan on a run

Colin Taylor scores a great try, even if he looks surprised!

A brilliant Cowan run

Coaches review

Happy supporters- good crowd for 1st local derby!

Quality English referee - Matt Higgins did a very good job - welcome any day.

Captain CJ gets a congratulatory hug!

A happy team, coaches and Touch Judge

Match Report for Saturday 5th October 2019

Tennents National 2 League Fixture

Glasgow Accies RFC v Whitecraigs RFC

On a rather dull autumn day the players and supporters gathered at New Anniesland for the first local derby of the season. Whitecraigs arrived with their tails up after a good win against Gordonians last week and Accies having suffered a tough day down in the Borders. With Whitecraigs sitting 5 points ahead of Accies, it was all to play for.

‘It’s not possession or pressure that counts its points’ – Tony Silverdale

The game got underway in typical Autumnal weather, cold and a heavy sky, but 30 players keen to get underway. From the kick-off it was Whitecraigs who started on the front foot, with obvious confidence gained from their good result last week. However it was Accies defence that was equally impressive. For 20 minutes it was relentless pressure from Whitecraigs and with only a missed penalty their only opportunity to score, so it was still 0 - 0.

From their first venture into Whitecraigs half after some good work by the backs, a penalty award was converted by the man of the match, Gregor Macewan.          3 – 0

Whitecraigs quickly went back onto the offensive and worked themselves into Accies 22 where a penalty award in front of the posts was scant reward for their efforts in the first 25 minutes of the game.           3 – 3

The same scenario continued as Whitecraigs once again worked themselves back into Accies half and were demonstrating a real skill at the breakdown, but were still unable to break down Accies committed defence. Then from a piece of turnover work, the ball was carried for 15 metres by Greg Connelly, well over the gain line, and the quickly recycled ball was moved to their right where Matt Holland broke through the first line of covering defenders, offloading to the supporting Gregor Macewan who drew the final defender, timing his pass superbly he released winger Colin Taylor to race the final 20 metres to score in the corner. The tough conversion was just wide.            8 - 3

Whitecraigs once again attacked Accies with some good transference and hard running from both forwards and backs, but Accies defensive line speed was up to it and progress was limited. However a clearance kick by Accies was collected inside the Accies half and once again a Whitecraigs attacked in midfield around Accies 10 metre line, where a superb tackle dislodged the ball from the Whitecraigs player and again quick reactions and movement of the ball to the right saw Ross Cowan clear and over for try number 2. This time the conversion attempt by Gregor Macewan was successful.           15 – 3

So despite having the majority of the possession and territory Whitecraigs now found themselves 12 points behind, which seemed a bit unfair, but as Tony Silverdale says – “it is not possession or pressure that counts its points”!

Half – time  15 – 3

It did appear that the two turnover tries that Accies had scored despite being under pressure had done a good deal for the Accies players’ confidence and they were quickly on the attack from the start of the second half. Throughout the first half Accies pack had totally dominated scrummage time and when they were awarded a 5 metre scrum, after some great pick and go work by the pack was held up over the line, the crowd were looking for the push over try. Well Number 8, Tommy Spinks, controlled the ball superbly and when he felt the scrum move slightly clockwise he picked up and nobody was going to stop him. A simple enough conversion for Gregor.        22 - 3

Whitecraigs introduced a couple of quality players off their bench and their scrum steadied up and their new ‘Lomu’ size winger started to get them back into the game. The contest had however gone a little flat until with 18 minutes to go Greg Connelly was yellow carded for an infringement 10 metres out from Accies line. Almost before Accies had reorganised Whitecraigs used a clever move from quick ruck ball and their new winger arrived on the shoulder of their 10 and I don’t think a brick wall would have stopped this ‘Lomu’ impersonator. Simple conversion in front of the posts.          22 – 10

Accies were struggling with the 14 man situation and some close forward work from a Whitecraigs linout 5 metres from Accies line brought them to within 7 points.     22 – 15

Could this be the big comeback, but Accies stuck to their task and from a ruck just inside their own half, scrum half, Adam Lowry kicked a perfect ball into the 5 metre area and close to the touchline so that the Whitecraigs fullback had to run into touch. This saw the reintroduction of Greg Connelly and from good lineout work the ball was once again driven towards Whitecraigs line. Several pick and goes by the forwards saw the ball under the posts and this time the recycled ball was moved wide to the charging Gregor Macewan, who chose a superb line and crossed for the bonus point try. He then converted his own try to make his personal tally to 14 points!                   29 – 15

Whitecraigs will never lie down and were still working to get their losing bonus point. Another superb run from ‘Lomu’ which saw him leave two or three tired players in his wake but the ‘thou shall not pass’ attitude of Ross Cowan stopped him. The game moved inside Accies 22 but another strong piece of defence saw the player and ball driven into touch and today’s very good visiting referee from England, Matt Higgins, called a halt to proceedings.

Full – time  29 – 15

For anyone who watched the World Cup game between The All Blacks and the South Africans, when SA were inside the NZ half for the first 20 minutes and then when the All Blacks got 2 chances they scored – taking the wind out of the SA sails, well today was the same. Accies used defence as a real attacking tool and made the most of any chances that came their way. A satisfying result for Accies and a disappointing result for a team that put so much into the game. The comment of the referee after the game summed it up. ‘That was a great game between two sides that were working hard to play good quality rugby on a surface that was outstanding and a joy to referee’.  It takes two teams to make a spectacle that everyone present today must have enjoyed.