Border Telegraph | Sport

Thursday, 8th January, 2009

Published: Wednesday, 8th March, 2006 10:18

Cold comfort

By Border Telegraph Sport

Glasgow Warriors 8, Border Reivers 20

BORDER Reivers warmed the cockles of the hearts of their supporters who travelled west on a chilly Friday night for arguably the most important match of the season.

And Reivers did not let them down with a dominant display against a Glasgow team that may have rued the non-release of Andrew Henderson and Dan Parks from the national squad.

In contrast, Reivers were able to field Chris Cusiter, Ross Ford and Scott MacLeod, but the win was sadly overshadowed by an early injury to the hooker, now ruled out of the rest of the 6 Nations.

Ford, in obvious agony, was stretchered off the field after only two minutes following a straightforward tackle on him by Glasgow centre Graeme Morrison.

The injury is a huge blow to the Reivers, to the international team and also to the player and everyone wishes him a speedy recovery.

But Steve Scott came on and took his chance well with a belligerent display which ensured that the Reivers dominated up front and gave their international back line (if one includes Calum MacRae as a national sevens players), the perfect platform to launch attacks that tested the Glasgow defence.

Gregor Townsend won the battle of the stand-offs with Colin Gregor, while MacRae also came out on top with the Glasgow No. 10 in the kicking battles…four out of four, two from the touchline, for the Reiver and only one out of four for Gregor.

The kicks, or missed ones, ensured that Glasgow missed out on a losing point, and this despite a huge late rally that was superbly defended by the Reivers.

As a result, Reivers extended their lead to five points over Glasgow in their quest for a Heineken Cup place next season. A win, too, against a Glasgow side which had thumped Edinburgh at Firhill and won in Munster.

After early pressure, the Borders had a lucky escape when Morrison intercepted a chip by Simon Danielli, but Stuart Moffat stopped the centre with a solid tackle.

Reivers deservedly took the lead in 18 minutes when MacRae kicked a penalty from 40 metres while at the other end Gregor missed a chance to pull the scorers level when he fluffed his kick from close in.

Cusiter seemed to have scored the opening try with a 20-metre burst to the line, but referee Rob Dickson pulled the No. 9 back for an earlier knock-on.

But the Borders were not to be denied and Cusiter’s blindside break set up the scoring pass for Danielli to power over in 31 minutes in the right-hand corner and MacRae converted from the touchline.

Gregor was wide with a second penalty after Semo Sititi was penalised for retaliation and MacRae made Glasgow suffer with his second penalty to stretch the lead.

Reivers were under pressure for the first time in the injury time added on for Ford’s injury and Jon Petrie was taken into touch close to the visitors’ line.

Glasgow battled hard to get back into the game after the interval, but it was the Reivers who extended the lead after Townsend broke the line to send Andy Miller over and MacRae converted.

Glasgow broke their duck when Gregor eventually split the posts and Sam Pinder’s try nine minutes from the end set up a grandstand finish.

But the Reivers defence, as Scotland had done six days earlier, stood firm and defiant.

The bonus point sought by Glasgow, and prevented by Reivers, could yet be significant.

But no plus points for the Firhill public address. No-one could hear it and neither was there a scoreboard.

Glasgow Warriors – G. Staniforth; R. Lamont, G. Morrison, S. Davey and M. Roberts; C. Gregor and S. Pinder; K. Tkachuk, S. Lawson, E. Murray, D. Turner, C. Hamilton, S. Swindall, G. Hayter and J. Petrie. Subs used: J. Eddie, L. Harrison

Border Reivers – S. Moffat; S. Danielli, B. MacDougall, C.MacRae and N. Walker; G. Townsend and C. Cusiter; P. Thomson, R. Ford, G. Cross, O. Palepoi, S. MacLeod, K. Brown, S. Sititi and A. Miller. Subs used: S. Scott, C. Hore, S. Gray, T. McGee, J. Dalziel.

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