Bulls make Gala work hard for win
Several positives for Hamilton in Borders defeat
Gala .................... 55 Hamilton ............ 40
Hamilton took the positives but only a four-try bonus point from their Tennent’s National League 1 opener at Gala.
The Laigh Bent club’s travelling support received great encouragement from the opening exchanges as Hamilton showed their intention to run the ball from kick-off.
And but for a spilled pass , they could have got the scoreboard ticking straight away.
Good defence gave Owen Mcleish the chance to kick downfield for territory and he repeated his efforts to take Hamilton inside the Gala fivemetres.
From his next crossfield kick, Ben Plant ran in unopposed and Mcleish added the extras from wide out.
However, Gala hit back immediately with an unconverted try.
Mcleish continued to kick for territory and it seemed to be working.
But after he missed a long-range penalty in 14 minutes, Gala repeated the move that was successful for them earlier in the game to score a second try. This time it was converted before their kicker then slotted a penalty five minutes later to give them a 15-7 lead.
Hamilton continued to compete in all areas of the game, but Gala were powerful and ran in two more tries.
The Bulls’ character and discipline were being seriously tested as Gala continued to press, and a nightmare five minutes for Hamilton was completed when the hosts’ back row combined to break the defence for another converted try.
Another try from Gala took the score to 43-7, but Hamilton fought back and a great length-of-the-pitch move saw Hugo Crush feed Grant Mccowan to run in under the posts, with Mcleish converting.
Although the game wasn’t really in doubt by this point, Hamilton edged the second half 26-22.
After a good break downfield by sub Ross Mcqueen, Hamilton showed slick handling, culminating in Ross Inglis touching down between the posts, with Mcleish again slotting the conversion for 43-21.
Mcleish again tagged the points on Inglis’s second try.
However, Gala responded when their centre took a good lineout ball and ran in under the posts, snuffing out any hopes of a comeback.
Two yellow cards saw Gala play out the last few minutes.
Hamilton’s pack won a penalty try and Craig Skilling also touched down for an unconverted try.
But Gala added a final try of their own for the final 55-40 score.
Coach David Gemmell said: “The setpiece was solid, defence was organised and attack was inventive. They were undone by Gala’s purple patch in the 10 minutes before half-time and some inaccuracy at vital moments.”