GHA 37 – 12 Hillhead/Jordanhill

GHA will begin the new season on the back of two confidence boosting victories against Premier 2 oppostion. Saturday saw old foes Hillhead/Jordanhill visit Braidholm in a what proved a hugely entertaining Glasgow derby.

GHA started strongly but a lack of composure at key moments meant that a single penalty converted by winger Ruairi O’Keefe was all they had to show for their early endeavours. The opening try came from an interception by GHA right wing Rangi Jericevich who plucked a wide Hillhead pass from the awaiting clutches of his opposite number and ran in the score down the right flank. Midway through the first half and from a line out inside the Hillhead 22, some slick play from the GHA inside backs put centre Hefin O’Hare through a gap and he escaped the grasps of the cover defenders to score under the posts. O’Keefe converted to put the home side 15-0 up. GHA remained in control but some slack play by the GHA backs as they attempted to run the ball from their own line led to a Hillhead turnover which their scrum half capitalised on to run in an easy score before the half. He missed the conversion to leave the half time score poised at 15-5.

Hillhead had their left winger sin binned early in the second half and GHA capitalised when full back Ross McClymont scored in the right hand corner for GHA. With Hillhead restored to full compliment, they could do little to stem the GHA tide. An audacious back pass from scrum half Martin Dunn off of a scrappy GHA line out was scooped up by inside centre Andrew Henderson. Henderson ghosted through a gap before finding O’Hare on his outside. O’Hare was hauled down on the 22 but managed to offload to blind side winger Jericevich who dotted down for his second of the afternoon. O’Keefe converted to push the score out to 27-5. Hillhead began to come in to the game more and utlised their big forward pack to good effect by pinning GHA inside their own 22. But wave after wave of Hillhead attack was repelled by GHA. On 60 mins, the GHA coaches rang the changes but GHA’s resolute defense continued to hold out until finally, Hillhead scored from a pick and drive in the right hand corner. The conversion was successful, 27-12.

This seemd to spur GHA on and a fine break from young flanker Euan Angus MacLeod led to some neat interchange play up the middle before lock Ryan Jenkins fed left winger Ruairi O’Keefe for the try when he appeared to already be over the line. 32-5. The game was capped when Euan Angus MacLeod, slotting in at No. 8, picked the ball up from the back of a GHA scrum on the Hillhead 22 and charged up the blind side for a sensational score.

All in all, it was an impressive victory from the home team and bodes well as they open their league campaign at home against Dumfries Saints next Saturday, 27th August at Braidholm. Kick Off 3pm.

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