To paraphrase a well-known retailer’s slogan ‘This isn’t just unavailability – this is GHK unavailability.’
No fewer than 11 players from last week’s 1st XV squad were not available for selection for this trip to face the league leaders, including, as a final blow, captain Ben Frame suffering a bad ankle injury as late as Thursday evening’s training session.
With young replacement scrum half Steven Logan, having made a promising beginning to his first start for the senior side, being forced off with what looked like a dislocated shoulder early on and experienced lock Angus Troop following him to the side-lines shortly after, the visitors were really up against it.
Early exchanges had been fairly even, although Gala looked the more likely to score with their backs’ direct running and crisp handling causes problems. The home side scored a couple of tries in the first quarter but the largely inexperienced GHK side defended tenaciously and Gala’s tries were each hard earned.
With the early injuries, GHK had moved Craig Gossman to scrum half, where he battled hard throughout with Cairns Wallace replacing Troop in the scrum with a reshuffle there also.
There were spells when GHK took the game to Gala and it was a just reward when captain Paul Henderson was able to burrow over from close range following a spell of pressure to bring the score to 14-5 with only a couple of minutes left of the first half. Unfortunately, the visitors were unable to prevent a further converted try before the break. 21-5 at half time.
Two quick home scores at the start of the second half put the game well beyond GHK’s reach and, with confidence high and the comfort of a big lead, the home side threatened to cut loose. Although they did add a further four tries the GHK team continued to work hard with the replacements all playing their part.
Full time score Gala 59 GHK 5
Not sure if a GHK Player of the Match was chosen but your correspondent felt that all of the youngsters involved acquitted themselves well in what was certainly an experience from which they will all have learned. Particularly considering it was his debut, stand-off Louis Miller would be my nomination.
Whilst no one at the club will take any pleasure from the result, there are few, if any, of us of us who haven’t been on the end of a hefty defeat at Gala and/or elsewhere in the Borders. It’s how the players and coaches react and respond that will be important to how the season pans out. There were sufficient signs in the effort put in, and the cohesive play demonstrated in phases of the game on Saturday, that we can be optimistic.
Next week: Home v Stirling County 3pm kick off.