Preston Lodge 1st XV 20 points Hillhead Jordanhill 1st XV 13 points
This game was aways going to be a “hard ask” for the Hills, given Preston Lodge’s front runner status in the league with only 1 defeat in 14 matches, but the visitors emerged with great credit after a fully committed 80 minutes which might have just gone their way in a frantic last 10 minutes.
Playing up the Pennypit park slope and against the run of play, Rory Harte opened the scoring for his team with a well struck penalty goal from 35 metres. But early evidence of scrummage frailties in the visitors ranks – their opponents were in the main particularly well nourished and benefitting from the momentum provided by pushing down the slope – provided opportunities for PL in respect of go forward ball. Good handling directed by their stand off , Scott Clark, led to 2 quick tries, neither converted, and there were legitimate fears by the end of the first quarter, that the hosts would run away from Hills.
But the fierce determination which has characterized Hills displays this season began to exert itself. Suddenly line out ball, via Blair Colvin and Jaysen Denley, appeared and hard yards gained from no.8 Ryan Reilly, and inside centre, Scott Halliday, alerted the hosts to some harder work ahead for the rest of their afternoon. Rory Harte began to pepper the corners of the park with his howitzers as Hills grew into the game. Hooker Dougie Sinclair was a terrier in the loose with some of his support play, Andy Readman was the perfect Jackal at the breakdown while Jaysen Denley’s tackling in the loose was of the copybook variety. Thanks to the visitors resurgence, the end of the second quarter arrived with the score remaining at 10-3 in the hosts favour.
Hills were now playing down the slope, conferring an advantage to a running game. Unfortunately the pitch was heavy and began to cut up, but Rory Harte with his kicking by hand helped his team play deep in the opposition half. A second Harte penalty goal nudged his side to 6-10 , but PL came back into it towards the end of the 3rd quarter when they laid siege to the Hills try line and eventually, after some brave last ditch defending, scored beneath the posts. The conversion was a formality and PL were now 17-6 to the good with the last quarter to play.
The final 20 minutes saw Hills at their best as they ran repeatedly at their hosts with stand off, Rory Harte, varying his kicking game to chip into space behind the PL rush defence. His tactic paid off as Damien Gennochio, aka the “Ginger Flash”, finally found his attacking nous to judge the bounce to perfection and evade 3 defenders on his way to the line. The conversion was good and suddenly all the momentum was with the visitors. The nervousness of the home supporters was palpable as their team struggled to raise the siege. Twice Hills were awarded kickable penalties but twice, correctly, they opted to kick for the corner to secure a try. Both lineouts were won, but try as hard as they might with the abrasive Ryan Reilly taking the lead, breaching PL’s redline proved beyond them. And then, as so often happens one slip allowed PL to escape from their 22 and drive up field. From the subsequent breakdown, Hills conceded a penalty which was kicked to the huge relief of all bar a few at the Pennypit.
This was a game which was fiercely contested and a credit to all its players. In truth it would have been a “steal” if Hills had won. But the visitors displayed bags of commitment and fierce commitment, all of which will be essential in the final 4 games of the NL3 competition, 3 of which are to be played at Hughenden. The first of these is this coming Saturday, January 20th – Weather and grounds permitting – vs Boroughmuir with a 14.00 KO.
