Border Telegraph | Sport | Ex-Gala player helps knock out the Maroons

Saturday, 10th May, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 19th March, 2008 11:00

Ex-Gala player helps knock out the Maroons

By Laing Speirs at Netherdale

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Gala captain Stevie Scott looks on anxiously as the Maroons put pressure on Heriot's at Netherdale.

Pic by: Alwyn Johnston

Gala 23 v Heriot's 29

LOSING a sixth round cup-tie and collecting a crop of injuries to key players sounds like a recipe for a pretty miserable afternoon.

But so many positives came out of this Gala performance that the thin gathering of home supporters took some comfort and much hope for Saturday’s vital league game in Ayrshire.

Gala will get time to breathe against Irvine after a pretty hectic game against a Heriot’s side rich in talent drawn in part from the S.R.U’s Academy structure and the Scottish Sevens squad.

Playing for the visitors was Roddy Grant, whom many Maroons fans thought should still be allowed to turn out for Gala instead of being required to play at a higher level.

This was a view shared by coach Richie Gray who went on to point out the advantages of letting local players turn out for the clubs that had brought them on.

He went on to acknowledge the very spirited performance put on by Gala.

"I thought our scrum was absolutely immense, and the lineout and set pieces were very good."

Recognising that Gala had handed some scores away, he pointed out that a Division 3 side couldn’t afford to make mistakes against Division 1 opponents. "You’ll be punished every time".

Gala had much to thank Andy McLean for, the stand-off kicking with authority all afternoon and relieving much of the pressure that the heavier and faster Herioters applied.

James O’Neill was as penetrative as any Gala back, but it was not an easy afternoon for the home fliers, with the Edinburgh side as fast as any team Gala have met this season.

The Gala back row men, who have scored 28 tries among the three of them throughout the winter, was a bit neutralised as far as creative work was concerned, and the Gala pack, while handling the bulkier eight very efficiently, could get little freedom to create.

The forced moving of Tim MisKelly to the wing was another factor working against Gala’s plans.

After an early miss, McLean struck a rich vein of goal kicking form and landed his first penalty after a ruck infringement. Heriot’s went on to surrender more and more penalties, at one stage having given away 10 to Gala’s two.

They missed an easy chance to equalise from in front of the posts, but Stevie Craig lifted the pressure and McLean added another penalty after 19 minutes.

Heriot’s seemed a bit edgy and Cameron Goodall picked up a yellow card after taking out Lawrence Lemmon. McLean went on to kick with assurance and the third penalty came along in 27 minutes.

But the loss of Thomson with a leg injury led to a reshuffle of the Gala backs, and within a couple of minutes Scottish sevens specialist Chris Fusaro scored.

And just on the break Gala went behind for the first time with Andrew Douglas scoring at the corner, for Graham Wilson to convert with his best kick of the half.

Heriots restarted with a bang, but Gala got back into the game with McLean’s fourth penalty before Chris Dalgleish was the next Gala player to be injured.

With Scott Chapman moving to full back and Tim MisKelly to the left wing, Gala had to work hard to cover the speedy opposition backs.

McLean’s line kicking was generally spot on and his next two penalties took Gala to an 18-12 lead with only 15 minutes to go. Peter Eccles was the second Heriot’s man to be banished for 10 minutes.

But the outstanding Heriots back, Colin Goudie, ran in through a non-existent defence for a try goaled by Wilson, the latter adding a penalty and converting Goodall’s try when the centre profited from a kick which Gala couldn’t cover.

Into injury time and McLean’s kick to the corner set up the Gala forwards for a big effort, Tim Archibald getting the try when the forwards forced their way over from a lineout.

No time remained for another effort, and attention quickly shifted to the week of planning - and medical care - needed before Saturday’s trip to the west.

Gala : F. Thomson; S. Craig, J. O’Neill, S. Chapman, C. Dalgleish; A. McLean, L. Lemmon; Martin Christie, S. Scott, T. Archibald, M. Horsburgh, C. Weir, G. Brown, T. MisKelly, T. Weir. (Subs: A.Johnston, G. Bryce, Mike Christie, Lee Kibble).

Heriot’s : C. Goudie; M. Teague, J. Thomson, C. Goodall, A. Douglas; M. Strang, G. Wilson; B. McNeil, F. Gillies, I. Brown, G. Noonan, R. Eccles, R. Grant, C. Fusaro, T. McVie. (Subs: S. Mustard, W. Blacklock, S. Dewar, R. Mill).

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