Highland U16 squad pulled of the great escape to make the National Bowl Final with a nail biting victory over Mussleburgh at Canal Park. In a game that both teams gave absolutely everything into and the margins between defeat and victory could not have been closer.
The game started fairly evenly with Highland possibly having the upper hand in the set piece but the visitors looking very threatening when they had ball in hand. Highland appeared to have squandered good possession when knocking on in the Musselburgh 22 in the 10th minute. However one of several strikes against the head by the ever impressive Ryan Gallagher saw the ball secured at the back of the scrum, a quick pick up by no. 8 Bruce Flockhart combined with sheer power saw him crash over wide left for the first score. The difficult kick was pulled just across the face of goal. 5 – 0
Musselburgh came back strongly and dominated the next period of the game and Highland indiscipline saw a soft penalty coughed up in the 22. Fortunately the attempt at the posts was pulled wide and Highland remained in front. The pattern did not change however and the visitors continued to enjoy both territory and possession. Some backs to the wall defending saw Highland infringe again at the breakdown on their 5 meter line and the referee threatened a penalty try. True to his word hands in the ruck were spotted at the next breakdown and he marched between the posts. The kick was comfortable and the visitors were now ahead 5 -7.
Going behind galvanised the home team and they began to re assert themselves towards the end of the first half. The forwards in particular securing more and more ball, forcing Mussleburgh to commit more bodies to the breakdown to be competitive. Mussleburgh then found themselves on the wrong side of the official with their hooker yellow carded for blatant side entry at the ruck.
The first half finished with Highland back on top, a man advantage but still behind on the scoreboard.
HT 5 – 7
The hosts started brightly I the second half and still with the man advantage moved the ball quickly to give Harris Ross just enough room on the wing to score in the corner only 3 minutes in. Hamish Hepburn made the difficult kick from the touchline and Highland were back in front.
The smiles on the homes crowds faces did not last long however, some poor decision making saw Highland turn the ball over in the opposition 22 and an 80 meter chase was ultimately unsuccessful, the ball was touched down under the posts and another simple kick saw the visitors back into the lead 12 – 14
The score really lifted the visitors and again a period of domination followed and while Highland initially defended well the pressure started to force mistakes and 12 minutes in to the second half poor defending saw a really soft try scored wide left, the kick was missed but the visitors lead stretched to 7 points 12 – 19.
It got even worse on the 20 minute mark in the opposite corner when the ball was touched down for a further score. There was more than a suspicion that the final pass may have come from in touch but the try was given and the hosts were 12 points down. 12 - 24
Highland rallied in the final stages of the game and started again to dominate possession and ground. The forwards regained some of the aggression seen earlier and slowly advanced towards the visitors line, good ball retention and physical clearing out eventually gave the platform for scrum half Fionnlagh Call to pick up at the base and dive headlong over the top of the ruck to score just left of the posts, Hamish was again on target and Highland were now just 5 points behind. 19 – 24
Highland had their tails up now but the clock was not on their side, just 6 minutes to go and deep in their own half. The visitors coughed up a penalty at the breakdown and a fantastic kick from Hamish saw a line out deep in the 22. The ball was well taken by Alisdair McArthur and the forwards drove it towards the try line. A series of pick and drives took the ball to within inches and this time Fionnlagh dived under rather than over for his second score and the five points that levelled the game. Hamish screwed the resulting kick wide and with 3 minutes to go it was all square.
With the prospect of going out for the second time as a result of a draw looming large the calmest heads at Canal Park were on the pitch rather than on the side-lines. Turnover ball saw Highland reach the opposition 22 again and in looked like the final chance was gone when the ball was knocked on. However yet another win against the head handed the ball back to the home team. The forwards kept it tight forcing the defending side to concede a penalty in their attempts to regain the ball.
Full time was now up the score were level and the kick would be the last action of the game, Hamish secured hero status as he calmly slotted the ball between the posts and the celebrations started.

A real gutsy performance by the whole squad today, not the best rugby they have played this season by a long way but hard work and belief in abundance have taken them all the way to Murryfield!