Border Telegraph | Sport | Playing for the Gala jersey brings reward

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Tuesday, 1st November, 2005 10:42

Playing for the Gala jersey brings reward

By Border Telegraph Sport

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Edinburgh Accies 16, Gala 26

A HARD week's work at Netherdale transformed Gala.

A revitalised side, which was four times behind in the first half, came together in a convincing win over a team 12 points ahead of them in the Division 2 contest.

With only one promotion place going it will be a struggle for either of Saturday's sides to claim it, but of the two Gala were by far the more impressive.

Andy McLean returned to his best kicking form and picked up 16 points as well as making the break of the game. Scott Nichol played an outstanding game at full back and the Gala defence was as highly committed as any coach could ask for.

Nichol's try just before the interval was his first for Gala and was earned through his active involvement in move after move.

Some useful variations on Gala's lineout play saw the Maroons turn the forward battle their way, and there was some very effective rucking, with the ball emerging a bit quicker than in some previous games.

The defence, which has been pretty steady all season, saw Gala through the occasional threats from an Accies side fast on the wings but a bit inept in the centre.

Accies had Gareth `Hovis` Brown at flanker, and the former Hawick coaches Ian Barnes and Jim Renwick on the touchline, conceding at the end that Gala had earned their win.

Barnes had given his team a stern talking to in the match programme, and had called for a win against Gala which he said would be the Accies last chance of gaining promotion.

Gala's own coaching team were delighted with the improvement, and Dave Cockburn paid tribute to the spirit and commitment that the team had shown.

`That was a great team performance. They have done everything we asked them to do. They played for the Gala jersey and there was some superb tackling.`

Gala were a bit edgy at the start and for the first twenty minutes looked a shade out of sorts. The penalty count went badly against them and they had conceded six before fifteen minutes had passed.

Gavin Douglas, who was to have an afternoon of mixed fortunes, popped one over after five minutes when Gala strayed offside at a ruck, but McLean equalised with another penalty five minutes later.

With Tim MisKelly coming in at the wrong side, Douglas had a chance to pick up the lead again, but made a sorry mess of his attempt. Given another look at the post a few minutes later he eased his side ahead again, but his forwards threw away the lead by killing the ball, and McLean again equalised.

Chris Weir was banished for 10 minutes for what seemed to be an excess use of the boot, and in his absence Douglas sent a low drop kick over for a 9-6 Accies lead in a game which had still to burst into life.

Attractive rugby was a bit missing from the scene, but eventually the game was transformed when MisKelly burst down the left touchline, and a quick transfer put Nichol on to a good run.

It was Douglas, around whom most of the Accies play was centred, who broke out of defence, and saved the situation. But the Gala forwards were beginning to look a lot more impressive and drove hard for the line.

They might have gone further, but a penalty award stopped their advance, and McLean had an easy chance to square the game at 9-9.

Chris Dalgleish was the second Gala man to get a yellow card, and the Accies forwards took control in midfield. The rare sight of the entire front row linking with Greg Campbell from the second row split a temporarily disorganised Gala and the move ended with Luke McCann getting in at the corner.

Douglas's best kick of the game saw the Accies 16-9 up, but as the interval loomed up Gala turned on a bit of style. There was initial movement down the left, and then some slick handling going right before Nichol got his try midway out to the corner.

McLean's conversion brought a 16-16 scoreline at the break.

Each side had opportunities in the second period, Paul Arnold trying desperately to get the Accies backs going, but some highly useful tackling from Steve Craig in particular put paid to their efforts.

Douglas began to lose the place with his kicking and missed a couple of chances to get his side ahead.

This seemed to take the hunger out of Accies and when Chris Lawson and Chris Dalgleish combined down the left wing there were distinct signs of anxiety in the home side.

Given his longest penalty chance of the day McLean put over his fourth penalty, and Gala had the air of winners. It was the first time they had been in front but the strong Gala support realised the game was there for the winning.

The best try of the afternoon's three came in the 75th minute, McLean going right from a centre field scrum, cutting a swathe through the defence, and finding Chris Dalgleish at his side to take a perfect scoring pass.

McLean kicked the conversion and Gala calmly played out the remaining minutes.

It is likely that before Gala's next visit work will have started on a major redevelopment of the celebrated old international ground, including a new clubhouse and hotel complex.

It is to be hoped that the programme will include improvements to the unsavoury and inadequate covered enclosure which passes for a stand but which is far from being up to Premiership standard.

Gala: S. Nichol; S. Craig, C. Dalgleish, G. Dalgleish, C. Lawson; A. McLean, G.Brown; Martin Christie, Mike Christie, E. Johnstone, C. Weir, M. Horsburgh, T. MisKelly, G. Bryce, T. Weir. (Replacements used J. McEntee, P.MacDonald, J. Berry).

Edinburgh Accies : P. Arnold; A. Broatch, L. McCann, J-M. Howison, D. Rattray; G. Douglas, M. Campbell; P. Burns, J. Edwards, A. Marsh, G. Campbell, S. Paterson, D. Teague, G. Brown, M. Rodgers.

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