Hamilton Rugby Club move up table

Oct 1 2009

HAMILTON moved into second place in the Scottish Hydro Premier 3 table with a fine five-try victory over Musselburgh at Laigh Bent on Saturday.

In ideal conditions Owen McLeish got the game underway and the Bulls were on the scoreboard within minutes.

Richie Maxton was up quickly on McLeish’s kick, challenging Liam Slaven for possession before releasing Jason Agnew.

Ronnie Strydom switched the attack left where Russell Coutts made ground before knocking on in the tackle.

Musselburgh secured the ball from the scrum and Lestyn Richard-Lees showed his pace down the left before being stopped by Gerry Hawkes and Craig Inglis seized the ball, moving quickly into the visitors’ half where he won a penalty on the 10-metre line.

McLeish put the ball into the corner and Maxton rose to collect David McGrath’s throw and the home pack drove for the line with McGrath getting the ball down for 5-0.

Musselburgh quickly reduced Hamilton’s lead to 5-3, with Brian Walls slotting a 40-metre penalty.

Hamilton stretched their lead following a good move involving Maxton, Strydom, Hawkes and Sangster, forcing Musselburgh to concede a penalty, with McLeish slotting for 8-3.

But Musselburgh took the lead in 18 minutes when Walls collected at the back of a scrum and fed Andrew Clark, who darted through the defence before feeding left to Neil Robert for the centre to run in unopposed. Walls converted for 10-8.

Musselburgh tried to stretch their lead with Andrew Cook denied by Craig and Ross Inglis, before the same player was stopped by Hawkes and McGrath.

That forced a scrum on halfway, Maxton picked up at the back and sprinted inside the Musselburgh cover before releasing Hawkes on the 22.

The wing-forward showed his pace to outrun the defence and score under the posts, with McLeigh’s conversion putting Hamilton 15-10 ahead.

The pendulum continue to swing and when Sangster was adjudged to have illegally tackled William Fleming, Walls slotted the easy three points for 15-13 with 25 minutes gone.

A period of scrappy play dragged the game down a bit at this point but Hamilton managed another score before half-time when Musselburgh were penalised for offside 30 metres from their own line, Robert was sin-binned and McLeish slotted for 18-13.

Six minutes into the second half Hamilton stretched their lead further.

After a good lineout take by Robert Cowie and some slick handling by the backs, Strydom carved his way through the defence to score in the corner, with McLeish converting for 25-13.

Musselburgh responded immediately as Walls slotted a 40-metre penalty, but Hamilton went straight back upfield to win a penalty of their own, which McLeish converted for 28-16.

Walls missed an immediate opportunity to pull a score back, and Hamilton stepped up a gear.

When Maxton disrupted a Musselburgh lineout Walls knocked on, with Hamilton driving forward in the scrum and Maxton taking ball on.

Graeme Bowman halted the skipper’s drive, but support was there to ensure the hosts retained possession, with Strydom finding Craig Inglis coming into the line at pace, and he ran 40 metres through the defence to score the bonus point-try under the posts, with McLeish converting for 35-16.

Musselburgh came back again, winning a series of penalties and forcing Hamilton to defend along their own goal line, but McLeish eventually cleared to the 10-metre line.

Musselburgh hit back again, and nearly scored when Alex Robinson took clean ball in the lineout and drove for the line, but Declan Slaven just failed to hold onto the ball as he hit the line and the chance was lost.

In the final play of the game Ross Inglis created a try out of nothing. A loose pass from Walls was pounced upon by the young winger 35 metres out and, fly hacking the ball through the defence, he won the race before touching down in the corner, with brother Craig converting for the 42-16 win.