Friendly 19th August 2017 Verses Hyndland

On Saturday, Clydebank successfully completed the last their 3 match pre-season friendly schedule against Hyndland RFC who were the 1st visitors to our current temporary home at John Brown’s Park.
The visitors were missing some of their regular front row, so the game was unusual in having uncontested scrum from the very start, Hyndland won the toss and started with the wind at their backs, a marked advantage on a wet and blustery day. And with this advantage Hyndland started much the better, with the conditions allowing them extended periods of pressure, but Clydebank’s marshalled defense and strong tackling coupled with handling errors and some poor decision making by the visitors conspired to thwart Hyndland’s attacking ambitions. Clydebank at this stage also toiled to produce any attacking chances of note in the wet and windy conditions, so half-time arrived with the game still scoreless.

After the break Clydebank now the wind at their backs were on the attack and the 1st try was not long in being secured as Joe Moore as stand-in No.8 broke though from short range to cross the line, the conversion was missed, Hyndland were not out of this game yet and although playing into to a strong wind were able to press Clydebank with a few sustained periods of pressure, but once more the Clydebank defense was equal to the challenge, during this period Clydebank also had their chances to press, with many attacking line-outs within the opposition 22m from a subsequent maul Jack Kirkwood from an unfamiliar position at the back of the maul eluded the Hyndland defense to cross for the 2nd Clydebank try, this was converted by Logan Cope. From the ensuing re-start was the highlight and the game, the ball was collected by Connor Sloss inside his own 10m line, which he then followed with a lung bursting 60m run to the line for try no.3. This score put the end to any doubt of the outcome of the game, as Hyndland who travelled to Clydebank with a reduced squad began to noticeably tire, and Clydebank pushed home their advantage using their full bench of replacements, this culminated in the game’s final score with Connor Sloss being in support to receive the ball and once more dot down this time in the corner for his 2nd try of the match, no extras were added, so Clydebank ran out 22:0 winners, a score that flatters the balance of the play.

Next week the 2017-18 season starts in earnest, with Clydebank travelling to Loch Lomond for the 1st round of the BT Shield.

Updated 00:45 - 2 Sep 2019 by Robert Williamson