Hamilton Bulls Take Gutsy Win

A depleted Hamilton fifteen edged a very tight affair at Laigh Bent by 25 – 10 on Saturday. Visitors GHK were lively in attack and determined in defence in a match where both sides showed their intentions to run with the ball in hand. Playing against the wind, it was GHK who had the first chance to score with a penalty shot which held up in the wind. However from the resulting possession, Hamilton made a typical break out of their own territory through Ross Ingis and John Selfridge who was hauled down inches short of the whitewash. Such last ditch tackles typified the match and Hamilton’s Ben Plant had to look lively to halt a GHK break on the wing.
It was Plant himself who broke the deadlock, picking up a loose ball on the wing and squirming over for the first Hamilton score on 27 minutes. Owen McLeish landed the extras from the touch line. The work of the forwards, particularly debutant hooker Calder Dallas, in securing possession gave Hamilton the platform.
Plant however turned sinner when on 32 minutes he was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on his opposite number. GHK failed to capitalise Hamilton nudged further ahead from the boot of Owen McLeish. Despite GHK’s best efforts Hamilton took a 10 0 lead into the second half. GHK attacked straight from the kick off and finally the extra man was made to count when number 8 Oli smith drove over after Ross Inglis, tracking back had made a try saving intervention to stop centre Cambell from scoring.
At 10 5 up, Hamilton were forced onto the defensive and substitute Josh White incurred the referee’s wrath and was binned for handling in the ruck, on his own line. This time Campbell was not to be denied and ran a beautiful line to touch down under the posts, making an easy conversion for MacKinnon. Hamilton have rarely been behind in a match this season, and they struck back immediately from the kick off when GHK’s mark Smith was binned for taking Hamilton’s McLean in the air. The youngster took some time to recover but McLeish slotted the penalty into the blustery wind. The yellow card was perhaps a turning point for Hamilton piled on the pressure. Some slick handling created several good chances, especially with Ross Jamieson intruding into the line. Hamilton extended their lead when the pack drove the GHK forwards off their own scrum put in and Josh white cmbined with flanker Gregor Brodie to go over the whitewash wide out.
The final gloss was put on the score when Ross Inglis made another searing break and fed Liam Bell for the final score, leaving Mcleish the easiest of tasks to add the extras. Once again coach David Gemmell expressed his pride in his team. “We were up against it today what with injuries and call offs. It shows the strength in depth at the club when we could call on youngsters like Calder Dallas and Josh White to step up and give such a great display. The lads had to really dig deep today and they stepped up to the mark and were rewarded for their effort.”