HJRFC Men 1st XV vs Howe of Fife RFC 1XV

Recap

HILLS PLAY POORLY IN SECOND CONSECUTIVE HOME LEAGUE DEFEAT

Hillhead Jordanhill 12 points Howe of Fife 26 points

Judged on any criteria, this was a desperately poor performance from Hllls, who have now lost consecutive home matches against Clubs in the top half of the National league 3 table.  On this occasion, visitors Howe of Fife deserved their victory by 3 goals and one try to one goal and one try.  At no stage in this game,  played with bags of intensity but replete with handling errors, were Hills ahead.

Hills played with the slope, but against the wind in the first half and  were predominately  on the back foot in defence.  Despite having a clear advantage   in the set scrum, little could be made of the ball that was won due to slow, poorish distribution,  apart from when Scott Halliday made some hard yards in attack in the 12 channel.  There  was a tendency for over elaboration in the line out, particularly with the ball thrown to 2 from the touchline; yet Fraser Hepburn  provided  a reliable source of ball from the middle of the lineout.  Elsewhere over the 80 minutes at least 3 try scoring opportunities  were scorned in either 2 v1 or 3v2 situations.  It was not a happy watching experience  for the  home crowd,  but they livened up whenever back rower, Calum Griffiths,  had the ball in hand.   His quick thinking in running 2 tap penalties set up the field  position  from which Scott Halliday drove over for Hills first score  which Rory Harte converted.  That brought the first half to a close with the score 12-7 for visitors Howe.

A good start in the 3^rd quarter  was vital for Hills,  but sloppiness  and poor communication  in defence was to cost them dear with Howe  being gifted their third try  which they converted.  The next score  was critical and thanks once again   to the physicality  and determination  of Calum  Griffiths it came from the back row forward with his unstoppable close range driving.  At 19-12 Hills were back in the game,  and,  for a  good 10 minute spell,  camped in the visitors  22 with a series of pick and go drives.  Unfortunately  these were all one dimensional, always favouring the open  side rarely trying  to bring  left winger, Ciaran Callaghan, a fine finisher, in from the cold.  The inevitable happened; Hills lost the ball; and Howe  made their way downfield, running well through several despairing  tackles to  score the decisive try to win the game, comfortably and emphatically  in the end by 26-12.

Hills coaching staff and their 1^st team squad  now have to lift  themselves  for their next home game this coming Saturday, November 13,  vs Perthshire. ; adherence  to a simple game plan, based on a less fluid  format, might be the way ahead. The game is scheduled to KO at 11.00, given the 13.00 start at BT Murrayfield for  the South African International.