Hillhead Jordanhill 1st XV 61 points Cartha QP 14 points
It was a jolt to the system when, after only 40 seconds of play, the visitors took a 7 point lead pouncing on some slack Hills distribution from the kick off. But Hills quickly cast aside that disadvantage to move through the gears to be ahead by 33 points, including 5 tries and 4 conversions, to Cartha’s 14 at the mid point of the game. These tries were recorded with a stiff south westerly blowing at their backs from the Gartnaval end of the Hughenden grounds.
However, playing into the wind permitted no lessening of intensity for the plucky visitors with Hills touching down for a further 4 tries, all converted by Rory Harte. The Hills captain had an exemplary display off the kicking tee, converting 8 of his team’s 9 scores. Try scorers in the first 40 minutes were loose head prop, Niall Hall, no. 8 Ryan Reilly ( 2 ) and wingers Fionn Whyte and Matt “Plod” Murray. The last was a modern day classic, right winger Murray collecting Rory Harte’s kick pass, some 35 metres in length, on the full to dive over the line. The second half saw Liam Tighe , the tight head prop, touch down along with another score from Niall Hall with backs, the elusive Sean Black, and the coltish Lewis Herd of latent physical menace scoring.
Given that visitors Cartha QP arrived grievously undermanned, Hills were not seriously stretched in defence, but they had to look lively when some of the visitors backs, principally Docherty and Adam, were running hard at them. BUT Hills were secure thanks to the defensive qualities of Scott Halliday in the centre. Hills success was built on their play in the loose with the heavy and incessant ball carrying of their props, Hall and Tighe, assisted by the tough, ubiquitous no. 8, Ryan Reilly. being too much for the visitors to contend with. The scrums were generally even, but Jaysen Denley cleaned up most of the usable lineout ball, assisted on occasion by the under nourished flanker, Andy Readman, who was lifted at times telescopically like a cork emerging from a champagne bottle. However, the game was essentially poorly structured with ground being made either from Rory Harte’s kicking or the forward’s long ball carrying runs. The modern day approach of retaining possession and going through the phases was seldom adhered to.
All of the Saturday domestic game in Scotland now has a week off due to the French 6N international at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on the 10th. Hills are in action again on SATURDAY February 17TH when they travel to Laigh Bent, the home of Hamilton Bulls for a 15.00 KO.
