Hamilton ran out winners in a thrilling clash at Cartha Queen’s Park.

Apr 28 2011 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON Rugby Club brought their season to a satisfactory conclusion on Saturday with a hard-fought win over Cartha Queen’s Park.

Ash Mason kicked off for the visitors and Hamilton went on the attack but Cartha drew first blood when, from a quickly taken lineout, ball was sent through for Ugandan centre Tony Nyangweso to run in the first try.

Although Michael Sherlock missed the conversion attempt, Lanarkshire referee Gus Tweedale decided to give him a second attempt and this time he slotted it for 7-0.

The scene was set for a thrilling end-to-end encounter shortly afterwards when Tamati Rhind collected a Cartha kick and sent Chris Stannage down the left, where he chipped over Craig Gervaise and won the race to touch down, with Mason tagging the points for 7-7.

The Hamilton winger repeated the feat moments later but this time referee Tweedale signalled no try, although the touch judges suggested it was good.

With just eight minutes on the clock Hamilton won a scrum in the right corner and despite being pushed back again John Selfridge picked up at the back and charged over for try number two and a 12-7 lead.

Hamilton were dealt a double blow when influential skipper Richie Maxton and stalwart John Selfridge were forced off with hamstring and neck injuries, respectively, and they were replaced by 18-year-old debutant Gary Adams and Gareth Payne.

Cartha stepped up the pressure and Nichol Smyllie looked certain to score only for desperate defending to halt him while Grant McCowan got under the ball to hold it up.

The hosts then tried to walk the resulting scrum over the line only for it to be brought down by Hamilton, resulting in a penalty try converted by Sherlock for a 14-12 lead.

Cartha were soon back on the attack and although Craig Inglis stopped Andy Scott from breaking through the middle it did little to halt their progress.

Smyllie, Andy Crozier and Michael Nellaney supplied the power to go deep and when ball was thrown wide Nyangweso crashed over for a 19-12 advantage.

Although struggling up front, Hamilton played to their strengths and when they were awarded a penalty in midfield Mason took the quick tap and fed the ball to Steven Morley, who passed wide to Stannage.

He burst clear before kicking ahead, collecting and going over for a quite spectacular try. Mason added the points to tie at 19-19.

Mason, Morley and Andy Macfie made good ground before Stevie Turnbull kicked deep to turn the Cartha defence, forcing Sherlock to kick into touch.

Chris Divers pulled in the resulting lineout and young Adam Scott took over at the front of the line to burst through and go over to give Hamilton a 24-19 half-time lead.

The second half continued in much the same vein, and when an early Cartha penalty was put into touch Graham Williamson pulled the ball in to set up a big forward drive towards the line.

As they went over, scrum-half John McCrossan got a touch on the ball to tie the scoring at 24-24.

From the restart, Cartha quickly repeated the move by putting another penalty into touch, pulling in the lineout and driving forward for Smyllie to touch down. Wayne Burrows added the extra points to put Cartha 31-24 in front.

Just minutes later, Turnbull got the ball away for Hamilton while their scrum was under considerable pressure. Morley broke well and, as he was caught by his opposite number, off-loaded for Inglis to crash over, with Mason’s conversion levelling at 31-31.

Cartha eased ahead after good lineout possession when Smyllie went over, with Mark Barrowman converting and they went further ahead when Barrowman profited from strong forward play to go over for a try, and a 43-31 lead.

As the match entered the final quarter, Cartha tried to make sure of the points but good play by Rhind, Adams and Chris Hunter won turnover ball and a break involving Inglis, Mason and Macfie quickly turned defence into attack.

Mason was eventually stopped but the move was deemed illegal and Turnbull quickly tapped the ball and fired it out to Stannage, who went in at the corner for a Hamilton try, cutting the deficit to 43-36.

Hamilton’s tails were up and with time fast running out Mason managed to sneak in at the corner for a try he converted himself to tie at 43-43.

With a draw looking likely Turnbull tapped a late penalty and fired the ball wide where Mason and Rhind took things forward before passing the ball out to Stannage, who broke clear and scored under the posts. Despite the pressure Mason tagged the points for an incredible 50-43 victory.

Hamilton signed off with a good win, while New Zealanders Ash Mason and Tamati Rhind head back home, having ended on a high.