Promoted Hamilton lose an entertaining game at Laigh Bent

Apr 21 2011 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON’S final home game of a successful season ended in disappointment as Ardrossan Accies ran out narrow winners.

Ardrossan have a habit of returning to haunt Hamilton, having fought back to snatch a 30-30 draw at Memorial Field back in September.

Having secured promotion last week, Hamilton fielded a much changed line-up to give some experience to their younger players before making the step up to Premier 2 rugby next season.

Club captain Richie Maxton was given a well-earned break while David McGrath was out injured, so prop Chris Hunter led out the team.

Ardrossan got off to the perfect start when Gordon Telfer retained Alan Wilson’s kick-off, Matthew Grant took the ball on and fed back to Telfer, who ran the ball in for a quick try, with Wilson tagging the points for 7-0.

Hamilton hit back when Jeff Anderson picked up at the base of the scrum but spilled, giving possession back to Hamilton, which was then converted to a free-kick.

Stevie Turnbull took a quick tap and Craig Inglis burst clear untouched to run over the line, with brother Ross converting for 7-7 after less than three minutes.

Both sides tried to get in front in a frantic game, but it was Ardrossan who regained the led.

Hamilton were driven back from a scrum and penalised as they defended desperately.

Wilson put the ball into the corner, Euan Thomson rose to collect and the forwards drove towards the line, allowing Innes Frazer to get the ball down for a 12-7 advantage.

Hamilton immediately struck back again with Turnbull managing to get the ball clear at a scrum for Ash Mason to break free before supplying Chris Stannage with possession for him to speed past the defence and ground the ball, with Ross Inglis converting for a 14-12 lead.

Wilson slotted a penalty for 15-14 but Hamilton attacked again from a scrum which saw John Selfridge, Turnbull, Craig Inglis and Andy Macfie run ball deep into Ardrossan territory.

Although stopped, the Hamilton men recycled and Mason, supported by Macfie, broke clear. Again stopped short, Gareth Payne picked up possession to crash over, with Mason converting for a 21-15 lead.

Penalties were exchanged which saw the ball fly up and down the field, but on the 40th minute a quickly-taken Ardrossan free-kick saw Thomson and Ben Hamilton rumble up the middle of the pitch before Anderson broke clear for the try, with Robert Hunter converting for a 22-21 half-time lead.

Hamilton were on the attack early in the second half but spilled the ball just short of the line.

During another move a Steven Morley kick ahead was charged down by Ardrossan, and Telfer was first to react as he picked up the loose ball to go over, with Hunter’s conversion taking the visitors into a 29-21 lead.

Hamilton were unfazed by this and a good break by Craig Inglis and Lyle Calder upped the pressure. Although Selfridge was stopped just short he managed to get ball clear and it was quickly moved out to the Hamilton backs for Craig Inglis to dart through a gap and score under the posts, with Mason’s conversions hauling the score back to 29-28.

The game was still flowing from end to end but Hamilton regained the lead when Selfridge picked up from a scrum, and through Turnbull and Stannage moved the ball deep into Ardrossan territory.

Craig Inglis maintained the pressure by putting a penalty into the corner and Adam Scott threw a quick ball to the front where Tamati Rhind gathered and moved up the field, where Fraser Watt took the ball on and kicked ahead before collecting and supplying David Lopez to crash over for the try.

Mason converted, moving Hamilton into a 35-29 lead.

Unsurprisingly this wasn’t the end of the scoring or the ever-changing advantage, and after a spell of strong Hamilton defending the visitors’ Rodney Voullaire finally made it over the line, with Hunter’s conversion handing Ardrossan a 36-35 win.