Stew Mel vs Gala RFC, 31/1/04

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Squad

The Stewart's Melville FP RFC team to play Gala RFC at Inverleith on Saturday, kick off 2.30 pm, is:

There are two changes from last Saturday. After recovering from the injury that floored him before the Kirkcaldy game, Fraser Deeming returns in his favourite Outside Centre berth. The other change was only made after training on Thursday evening, where Matt Dey tweaked his hamstring; he has been replaced in the starting line up by Struan Samson.

We are very hopeful the game will go ahead on Saturday. The pitch at Inverleith is clear of snow, and, while hard in places, the frost is no more than 1 cm into the ground. If the weather is as predicted on Friday, then we should be good to go.

Please come down to support the boys as they aim to make it five wins in a row against the league leaders. Steph's dad is also over for a visit, so, if you see a big, tanned gentlemen shivering in the bar at Invers after the game, please buy him a large dram!

Riggers' Review

For the second home game running, the league leaders came to Inverleith and, for the second game running, they left defeated. This may not have been our prettiest victory of the season, but it was one of the gutsiest displays I have ever witnessed from a Stewart’s Melville team. The conditions brought back memories of the Grangemouth game in December, and it was strange to see the crowd enclosed in the back three rows of the stand in an attempt to avoid the incessant rain and biting wind. It was never going to be a day for running rugby, but I don’t think those present would have been disappointed with the fare on offer. Two committed sides going at it for 80 minutes in a game that could have gone either way.

Gala have the best defensive record in the league and it was fairly easy to see why on yesterday’s performance. They have been well drilled in this area and it was fairly obvious they would rather give away penalties than tries. After the try scoring run we had been on in January, it brought us back down to earth with a bump. That’s not to say that we didn’t create opportunities, and, despite the conditions, we got in behind them on a few occasions, but were unable to finish them off. Our scrum and lineout were both excellent on Saturday, and the forwards, in particular, fronted up for the task in hand, winning both individual battles and the forward battle as a whole.

The backs had little opportunity to shine, but the play by our back three in the second half was fantastic; secure under high balls and innovative and quick when returning and chasing kicks, they kept us going forward. Jed Gordon finally got the try that won the game when the ball stuck in the mud, and was overrun by the otherwise excellent Gala scrum half. Jed took his score well and has finally rid himself of the ‘Roger Baird of Stew/Mel’ title we’d kindly bestowed upon him. He hopefully did enough to impress the watching U19 selectors and, hopefully, they also took note of Sandy Storrar, who, once again, did a power of work in both defence and attack.

With only two league games to go against Jed and West, we have a great opportunity to finish the season in style. The Aberdeen Cup game is also looming large on the horizon, and, as soon as the Jed game is played next week, all our focus will go on trying to cause an upset and prolong a season that could otherwise be over by the end of February.

Here’s hoping February is as good a month as January!

Riggers

Stew Mel Stats

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