West League Division 2, group 2
27 January 2007
Hughenden 11 Paisley 19

Paisley finally got their first taste of competitive action in 2007 with a tricky away trip to Hughenden RFC, who play out of the Hillhead / Jordanhill club. Having had a similarly poor set of results in the first half of the season, the Hughenden side were significantly bolstered by the return of a number of experienced players from the much greater resources of Hillhead / Jordanhill hence a difficult encounter was anticipated.

With a tricky wind running across the field this game ebbed and flowed wonderfully. Hughenden started strongly, but after a fairly intense period of opening pressure opted to settle for a kicked penalty goal in the face of the stubborn Paisley resistance. With the feeling that the forwards< had more than matched their more experienced opponents in a defensive operation, Paisley slowly started< to impose their own will on the game. The tight 5 remained impressive throughout with Iain Livingston and Scott Sutherland putting in the type of shift which would have warmed the heart of many an old school forward.

The platform was developed to allow powerful running Davie Dodds to unleash his own brand of mayhem on the Hughendedn defence, much to the discomfort of their inside backs. Indeed, Paisley scored the games first try with a move straight out of coach Colin May's handbook, bringing the powerful No. 8 into a backline move directly from quick lineout ball, which was expertly provided all day by Michael Sommerville. With the ball presented beautifully out of the tackle, when it finally arrived, the backs neatly shuttled the ball wide to Martin Holeman who outstripped his opposite number and finished spectacularly under the posts.

At this stage Paisley seemed to take control of proceedings without actually managing to convert some excellent presuure into the required points. Some of the kindlier sages watching suggested a certain amount of ring-rustiness, however closer to the truth is that the team have lacked the cutting edge for much of the season, which has caused them to languish way below their true potential. Impressive performances from debutant Thomas Herron on the left wing aligned with the danger posed from powerful running centre Johnathon Morrell and pace man Martin Holeman on the right wing must surely bode well for this aspect of the team improving soon.

The second half of the game continued in similar vein to the first with the game swinging from end to end with neither team managing to gain clear advantage. Hughenden continued to use their experience to spoil clean phase ball from Paisley, whilst impressive defence from Paisley kept them largely at bay. Hughenden did manage to score a try from a driven maul which was neatly replicated almost imediately by Paisley at the other end.

With some 10 minutes to go Hughenden once again reverted to kicking penalties to bring the game to a single point difference, enabling them to claim a bonus point if it remained the same or even to sneak the victory should they get another. Needless to say this was a nervy final few minutes for Paisley, who finally managed to get the ball back up the park and with Hughendden conceding a needless penalty close to their own line, wily utility back, Callum Walker, who actually started his rugby at Hillhead back in the days when rugby was played between 2 villages over the course of a midsummer weekend, took a quick tap behind the ref's back and slipped over for a 5 pointer. This enraged the Hughenden team who had to be reminded by the referee that it was in fact them who had requested to him before the game that he allow this type of play in order to speed up the game... be careful what you wish for, indeed!!

The post match celebrations in the historic Hillhead sports clube were indeed sweet for Paisley, but interestingly for the coaching staff, players-player of the match was that flying winger Martin Holeman whilst the hard work in creating the platform for the victory seemed to have been somewhat overlooked, perhaps indicative of an attitude that ranks flair out wide, above the hard yakka of a shift in the boiler room. Perhaps future training sessions may need to bring about an appreciation of such endeavour?

No such worries for the men of the tight 5 who know well where the seeds of the victory were ground out.