Rugby: Hamilton battle for a draw at Ardrossan Accies

Sep 9 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

Ardrossan Academicals 30, Hamilton 30

HAMILTON were held to a draw in an entertaining, free-flowing Scottish Hydro Premier 3 encounter at Memorial Field.

After 10 minutes Ardrossan got their reward when Brian Hendry broke free and went in for the opening score, although Robin Hunter was wide with the conversion.

Hamilton then broke up an attack, with Ross Inglis, John Selfridge and David Sutherland easing pressure on the visitors’ line. This break resulted in a Hamilton penalty, but Owen McLeish was off-target.

Ardrossan then cleared to touch, where Chris McGeogh secured possession, allowing the ball to be fired out to Craig Inglis, who crashed into his opposite number before off-loading for brother Ross to burst free and go over for Hamilton’s opening score. McLeish added the conversion for a 7-5 lead.

Accies were quickly back on the attack, and when Matty Grant picked up at the tail of a scrum, Alan Wilson and Jamie McKee linked well to take the ball out wide, but Calum Crawford was up quickly with a tackle to force the play, and the hosts were caught offside.

McLeish fired the kick to touch and rose to secure David McGrath’s throw. Stevie Turnbull moved ball left and McLeish thundered deep towards the line. Good defence cleared but Hamilton went back on the attack and McGeogh made good ground before feeding the backs. Sutherland tried to break inside and was well supported by Selfridge and McGrath before the ball found its way to McLeish, who slotted a drop-goal for a 10-5 lead.

The lead was short-lived and although looking suspiciously offside an Ardrossan move ended with Calum McKechnie scrambling possession to Grant to cross for 10-10.

Hamilton were penalised and Hunter finally found his kicking boots to put Ardrossan 13-10 ahead.

In a scrappy last five minutes before the interval Selfridge picked up at the back of a scrum, went for the break and unloaded to Chris Stannage out wide, who set off at pace to touch down for the Bulls’ second try. McLeish’s conversion gave Hamilton a 17-13 half-time lead.

Ardrossan hit back immediately after the restart with Hunter slotting a penalty, reducing the deficit to 17-16.

Hamilton tried to pull ahead but were again penalised and following a messy scrum, Ardrossan stole possession, secured a penalty and Hunter slotted for 19-17.

The lead changed hands again with McLeish slotting a penalty for 20-19.

Ardrossan’s Simon Duff pounced on a chance and was tackled as he went over, with the referee judging that he had been held up but from the resulting scrum Rodney Vollaire picked up and crossed in the corner for 24-20, and a Hunter penalty stretched that lead to 27-20 with 10 minutes left.

McGeogh palmed back the restart to McGrath, who rumbled forward and set Sutherland free. With Hamilton just short of the line a penalty decision enabled McLeish to close to 27-23.

Then Steven Morley broke clear from the restart. Maxton broke through the middle before some slick passing saw ball go wide to Stannage.

He raced forward and as the last man came in for the tackle he calmly chipped ahead, ghosted round the opposition, collected the ball and went in for the score.

McLeish’s conversion put Hamilton 30-27 in front.

However Hamilton found themselves penalised and a grateful Hunter slotted for 30-30.