GHA 27, Musselburgh 13

Two tries by Jamie Pinder helped GHA to a bonus-point win against Musselburgh on Saturday afternoon. Niall Cassie and Rangi Jericevich were the other try-scorers in the Scottish Hydro Electric Premier Two match at Braidholm.

Just as important, however, were searing breaks by Ross McClymont from his own half to create two of the four home tries. It was a day when it paid to have a full back who preferred to run rather than kick.

The first of those lighting strikes McClymont, with GHA leading 7-6 after 14 minutes, found Pinder in support for Cassie’s try. The second of the full back’s long runs was for his own 22 after 65 minutes. This time McClymont kicked ahead from around halfway, and Jericevich chased up to snatch the try for a 22-13 lead.

GHA’s win was revenge for a heavy defeat at Musselburgh three months ago. More important, it eased the Braidholm club up into sixth place in the table.

On an ideal afternoon for rugby, with little wind and the pitch surprisingly firm after Friday’s rain, GHA’s forwards reproduced their sterling efforts of a week ago in the win at Kelso. By the latter stages of the game their scrummage was dominant, and overall the team produced a sound performance in which they conceded nothing in the second half.

But Musselburgh were the first to establish themselves on the scoreboard with two penalty goals by Steven Shapland within eight minutes of the kick-off. However, GHA soon took the lead when lineout ball allowed Andrew Rushforth to break through in the visitors’ 22 for Pinder to score. Jim Noonan converted that try and Cassie’s score three minutes.

Jericevich, chasing a kick up the standside, forced the visitors into conceding a penalty from which Noonan kicked the goal for 17-6 after 20 minutes. A James Fish try in 29 minutes cut the margin, and Shapland added the conversion, though he missed three penalties, one before that try and two in the second half.

Jericevich’s edged GHA more than a maximum score ahead, and right at the end, two minutes into added time, a tapped penalty and surging forward play laid the ground for Pinder’s second try and GHA’s bonus-point fourth.

GHA – Ross McClymont; Rangi Jericevich, Niall Cassie (captain), Andrew Rushforth, Patrick Hilley; Jim Noonan, Andrew Gillman; Adam McCormick, Joe Coffey, Andrew Kelly, Ian Smith, Ryan Jenkins, Andy Williamson, Jamie Pinder, Paul Harkin. Substitutes – Glen King, Geoff Warnock, Dominic Kellock, Brandon Wamberg.

Musselburgh – David O'Hagan; Graeme Kellington, Andrew Clark, James Fish, Andrew Cook; Steven Shapland, Greg Leitch; Gavin Hume, Fraser Millar, Grant Talac, Neil McNairn, Willie Fleming, Rikki Simms, Declan Slaven, Michael Maltman. Substitutes – Kyle Linton, Liam Slaven, Andy Lamb, Ross Chapman.

Referee – James Bell (Edinburgh Referees Society).