SLOW STARTING GHA KEEP IN TOUCH WITH PACE-SETTERS

GHA RFC MATCH 225: GHA RFC 43 – 26 MORGAN ACADEMY FP 

2011/2012: Scottish Premiership Three

GHA have made an unenviable habit of starting slowly in just about every game they’ve played this season and last Saturday was no different. Morgan who visited Braidholm with nothing to lose, burst out of the blocks and put GHA under early pressure. They opened the scoring on 5 minutes when their scrum half went for a quick tap from 5 metres out and fed their blind side flanker for an easy score which was then converted. 

GHA hit back with a nicely worked score from a line out. The ball was quickly moved to the midfield where GHA openside Alan Auld made a break before drawing the full back and putting his back row compatriot Jamie Pinder in for the score. Houston converted and the scores were 7 all.

The home side still looked lethargic however and were made to pay shortly after when Morgan were awarded a penalty on the GHA 22. Again their scrum half went for a quick tap, the ball was initially worked wide to the opposite wing before the Morgan forwards took over and worked several tight phases before eventually forcing their way over. The try was converted.

Then back came GHA once more, this time from a Morgan clearance kick which was fielded by young winger John Brogan on the half way line and on the left hand touch line. The ball was shipped in field to full back Tane Jericevich who threw a long pass to O’Hare and then on to right wing Rangi Jericevich who broke up the right hand touch line before feeding the ball back inside to the supporting O’Hare. O’Hare then offloded out of the tackle to Dominic Dunn who fed Pinder and the GHA number 8 forced his way over in the corner for a well worked score. 14-12 to the visitors.

Inexplicably GHA then gave away a soft try to the Morgan hooker from a basic line out move 10 metres from the GHA line. The try was converted to give Morgan a 21-12 half time lead.

GHA came out for the second half and played a much more composed game, using the boot of full back T Jericevich to pin the visitors inside their own half. The first score came from a quick tap and go on the Morgan 5m line which saw tight head prop Sean Fisher bull doze his way over for his first try for GHA.

T Jericevich landed 4 second half penalties including two from long range to give GHA the lead and then a comfortable cushion.

From a scrum on the half way line, scrum half Houston saw a gap in behind the Morgan defence and hit a well placed kick which bounced nicely for GHA winger Benedict Farrell who picked up to score in the corner. T Jericevich converted.

Farell’s second score came from another penatly which was quickly taken and then moved to the winger for an easy score. 40-21 to the home team

Morgan then responded when the ball was worked wide from a line out on the GHA 22. Despite what looked like obstruction in the mid field, the referee let it go and GHA were then outnumbered on the outside and their left wing score in the corner. 40-26 to GHA.

T Jericevich rounded off the scoring with his 4th pentalty. GHA should have had one more try on the final whistle but the try scoring pass failed to go to hand as replacement Chris Binnie looked to be in at the corner.

GHA produced a more composed second half perfromance to squeeze the life out of their opponents but this was far from convincing. Nevertheless, the important thing is that GHA secured both the win and bonus point and remain in 4th place in the league and still in touch with leaders Howe of Fife who are 8 points ahead but who GHA still have to play twice.

Source: Bill McMurtrie