Rejoice! Rugby has returned after a long “hot girl” summer and oh how we have missed a bit of egg chasing. The mood around Old Anniesland has been buoyant since the swashbuckling championship winning season. Two promising pre-season performances against Lasswade and Boroughmuir together with some astute deals in the transfer window meant that there was optimism surrounding the team as we approached the first game of National League Division One.

Up first was a familiar foe in Stewww Mel who were also brimming with confidence after being promoted with us from National League Two. The XV that was named to take on the red, black and gold included no less than five debutants alongside some  of the more household names and they would all be looking to make a good first impression. Despite all of the on-field changes, there was one constant – Aldo running touch. As certain as death and taxes. Great effort once again from the big man!

Though the rain lashed down in the west of Scotland, GHK decided to ignore Crowded House’s advice and didn’t take the weather with them – blue skies and the stereotypical easterly breeze was the order of the day. These two sides try to play a similar brand of expansive rugby so there was no doubt this would be a cracker of a game.

The first points of the game came from the boot of the Stew Mel fly half after an offside infringement. GHK replied almost immediately with the first try of the game. The attack began when outside centre Craig Gossman regained possession from the kick off courtesy of a cheeky intercept on the Stew Mel 22m line. The ball was then driven forward down the blindside by a trio of GHK ball carriers before being spun wide with a lovely long and looping left-handed pass from newcomer Owen McLeish to old-timer and try magnet Danny Campbell. McLeish added the extras from in front of the posts to make the score 3-7 to the visitors.

This clearly sharpened the focus of the home side and when GHK made a mess of another kick off, Stew Mel did not waste their opportunity to respond on the scoreboard. A number of pick and go’s resulted in their hooker barrelling over from close range. The conversion was added so GHK found themselves trailing once again.

Stew Mel extended their lead with a penalty in front of the posts after one of the GHK forwards were adjudged to have been off their feet at the ruck. The next period was a frustrating one for GHK as they found it difficult to hold on to the ball and silly errors would often kill any momentum created by promising attacks.

The hosts scored their second try of the afternoon from a scrum in front of the posts. The ball squirted out the back of the scrum and popped up nicely for their fly half who then ran twenty yards to score under the sticks. The conversion was good and the half ended 20-7.

No doubt some stern words were shared by Wright and co. in the huddle at half time because GHK had not been the slick operators we were so accustomed to enjoying in the last twelve months.

Whatever was said, it worked. GHK had the put in to a scrum in front of the main stand about twenty metres out. The ball was whipped out to Angus North who cut a sumptuous line to scythe through unopposed and crash over for a wonderful score. The conversion was good so all to play for.

However, GHK were unable to establish any meaningful periods of possession or field position and so needed to defend their line for a prolonged period. When the visitors did eventually make it into the opposition half they did well to win a penalty about forty metres out. Unfortunately, the tricky kick was missed, and it was not long before Stew Mel struck again. This time it was an interception from their winger on the halfway line that did the damage. So, if GHK were going to win this game they were going to have to do it the hard way; from thirteen points down.

They got off to a great start by applying continued pressure on the opposition’s line. After a number of scrums, lineout drives and pick and go’s, the pressure eventually turned into points as captain fantastic Ben Frame sniped from the side of a ruck. It was now a six point game after Mcleish added the simple conversion.

The crowd could feel the intensity rise as it almost became a next-try-is-the-winner scenario. The quality of the rugby seemed to go up a notch too and though there were no scores, both sides threw the ball around admirably. GHK began to dominate and after copious infringements, the referee told Stew Mel’s replacement hooker to chow down on some stinking bishop as he sat out the remainder of the game.

Unfortunately, despite some extremely late drama on their own line, GHK were not able to complete what would have been a stunning comeback. In the end the result was deserved. Well done to Stew Mel and we look forward to hosting you at Old Anniesland later in the season.

Full time: Stew Mel 27 – 21 GHK

This was a disappointing start to the season for GHK as one did walk away from the game thinking that it was there to be won. Had GHK been a bit more clinical and reduced the unforced errors then the result may have been different but shoulda, coulda, woulda, as they say. Having said that, the game must be framed in its proper context. Playing away from home with five debutants against a strong Stew Mel team is far from an easy task so to leave Inverleith with a losing bonus point is not the worst result in the world.

In terms of individual performances, there were a few that stood out. Lewis Brock stepped into the starting line-up at short notice and put in a commanding performance in the engine room. His partner Angus Troop was his usual bulldozing self. Owen McLeish kicked and organized the team well and should be happy with his first game since joining us from Hamilton. Jack Sommerville made a load of metres from the left wing and Angus North was solid as ever in attack and defence.

We look forward to welcoming Biggar to Old Anniesland next weekend. See you all there!