A blistering first half performance ensured GHK maintained their 100% win record this season against a Whitecraigs side that never backed down.

GHK were forced to ring the changes going into the game due to a combination of injuries, suspensions and absences. There were no less than nine changes to the squad and there were 1^st XV debuts for wingers Ali Oliver and Jack Somerville.

However, any fears that the team would be disjointed were dispelled in the early exchanges. A scything break from Angus North and a barnstorming run from Angus Troop resulted in a try for Blair Hastie.

North continued to look threatening and almost got on the end of offloads from Tommy Spinks and Matt Smith but couldn’t quite hold on. Keen to keep the attacking pressure on, Grant Anderson took a penalty quickly on the Whitecraigs 22, the ball was recycled left a couple of times which gave Anderson space to glide through and finish the move he started. Jordan Kerr added the extras with an excellent kick from the left touchline.

GHK had their tails up and looked like they could score with every attack. One particular move involved all three members of the back row and the halfbacks who showed softer hands than white collar workers as their intricate passing put North through another gap. The centre put a delicate kick in behind the defence and then bundled the full back into touch on their line. The ball was worked to the left from the resulting lineout until an offload from Smith put Gavin McKirdy over for the away side’s third try.

Kerr added the conversion and it looked like GHK could run away with the game. However, Whitecraigs fought back and won a penalty in the middle of the GHK half. They chose to kick to the corner and their ambition was rewarded with a try from the resulting lineout.

GHK managed to create a few probing attacks into the opposition half with Oliver looking dangerous with ball-in-hand on the right wing. Despite a yellow card for Hastie for a shoulder barge on their try line, GHK continued to put pressure on the opposition. Pressure turned into points as a neat one-two between Anderson and Smith lead to the former going in for his second and the team’s fourth try of the game. Bonus point in the bag.

The half time whistle was fast approaching but GHK still had time to add a fifth try. Feargus Haston flopped over at the back of a lineout drive in what is becoming somewhat of a trademark move for the hooker. Kerr added another good kick to make the score 5-35 at halftime.  

The second half did not go as smoothly as the first for GHK. Anderson was shown a yellow card early on for another shoulder barge and the team lost a bit of the continuity that had been so impressive in the previous forty minutes. Whitecraigs grew into the game and only some stellar defence, lead by David Patterson, kept them out during Anderson’s sin bin.

Whitecraigs were not to be denied for much longer, though. A missed tackle in midfield left their centre in acres of space in the middle of the pitch. He passed inside to the fly half who finished well under our posts.

Somerville regained the ball brilliantly from the resulting kick off. It was recycled to Cian Smith who was denied on their line and the ball was put out for a lineout. A patient drive was rewarded with a try for Spinks.

It was not long before GHK added a seventh try. Troop showed you only need one eye to spot a gap when he crashed over despite having his right eye patched up. Kerr added an easy two from in front of the posts.

The last 10 minutes were fractured due to a few injuries and substitutions for both sides. Whitecraigs picked up a consolation score when their number 8 caught an interception on the halfway line. GHK had the final word though as Hastie scored his second from a penalty taken quickly.

Full time: Whitecraigs 19 – 52 GHK.

The first half was one of the best GHK have produced so far this season. To come to Whitecraigs with so many new faces and dominate possession and territory from the outset was impressive and this control was reflected on the scoreboard at halftime. However, the second half was not so assured. A couple of yellow cards, some injuries to key personnel and a rejuvenated Whitecraigs team meant GHK could not assert the same dominance they had enjoyed in the first forty.

Naturally after scoring fifty points away from home there were more than a few players that put in stellar performances. The back row had a lovely balance to it; Patterson was the lumberjack that chopped trees for 80 minutes, Smith made more breaks than Ross & Rachel and Rintoul was a limpet over the ball. Behind the scrum, Kerr kicked well and carried hard. Somerville and Oliver showed flashes of what they are capable of on their debuts. Anderson and North looked sharp, especially in the first half. However, the Edinburgh Gin Man of the Match goes to Angus Troop. A monumental performance that included a try, an SBW offload and his face being maimed, the second row got through an enormous amount of work. Well done Angus.