Hamilton end the season with narrow home defeat

Apr 2 2008

Hamilton 14 Musselburgh 15

HAMILTON ended their season with a narrow home defeat against relegation-threatened Musselburgh.

Musselburgh now face a nervy last match on Saturday against already-relegated Hillhead/Jordanhill, with the Glaswegians also lined up to play the East Lothian side’s relegation rivals Cartha Queen’s Park on April 19.

Hamilton club chairman Ian Smith, who is stepping down from the post after four years, and players James Medlock, Ronald Strydom, Michael Schmidt, Robbie Hooper and Bart Karalus would have wanted more from their final game but it wasn’t to be.

Hamilton started reasonably well, with Alistair Smith, Karalus, Andy Thomson and Ian Boyer all going close.

But Musselburgh scored with their first attack.

Fraser Millar, Liam Slaven and Greg Leitch combined to take play upfield.

A knock-on saw a scrum awarded, Millar took the strike and Warner Easton fed Leitch, as Paul Urquhart went on a dummy run, drawing the defence before offloading to Andy Cook.

He darted through before being tackled by Craig Inglis.

However, he was able to find Leitch, who ran over for the try which, when converted by Bryan Walls, gave Musselburgh a 7-0 lead.

Hamilton then had to withstand a five-minute period of intense pressure before breaking back upfield through Thomson, Allan Dodds, Alistair Smith and Craig Sangster.

Karalus took play on before feeding Smith and he raced midway through the Musselburgh half before finding Inglis, whose pass found Stuart Bartwicki in space to dart through before being unceremoniously halted by Leitch

A penalty scrum was awarded and Strydom slotted for 7-7 after 12 minutes.

With 28 minutes gone, Easton opted to kick upfield, putting the ball out close to Hamilton’s line.

Gray collected but was penalised for knocking on and Musselburgh were awarded a scrum.

Scott Monaghan broke towards the posts, Karalus covered well and brought him down but Sangster was penalised for offside and Walls slotted the kick for a 10-7 lead.

Hamilton were given two let-offs inside the opening two minutes of the second half when Walls sent close-range penalties off the upright and wide of target.

The home side took the lead in the 65th minute.

When Cammy Walker was penalised for a late tackle on Dodds, Sangster launched the penalty to the corner.

McInally found Richie Maxton with the throw and Hamilton drove for the line.

Burgh stopped the attack but Hamilton regrouped and forced their way over, with Gray’s touch-down and Strydom’s conversion giving them a 14-10 lead.

Musselburgh pushed hard for a winner and in stoppage time won a lineout five metres out.

Martin Clark rose above everyone to collect the ball and the Burgh pack drove for the line, with Fraser Sutherland touching down. Walls missed the conversion, but the try was enough to give Musselburgh victory - and keep their hope of Premier 2 survival alive.

With their league campaign over, Hamilton travel to Gala on Sunday for the start of the spring sevens season.