The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Grammar’s victory saves their season
O’Connor delight and relief as top-flight survival secured
Aberdeen Grammar produced the goods when it mattered most, putting a poor run of results behind them to beat G HA at Rub islaw and thus save themselves from relegation.
With three games to go, Grammar’s victory sends Howe of Fife and Hamilton down to National 2.
Grammar captain and winger Grant Walker scored their fourth try to claim a priceless bonus point.
He said: “This was a totally committed effort. Even when we got things wrong, we were able to sort them. It’s a great relief to have saved our season. We really should never have been in this position.”
Walker organised his young back division while putting in the big hits to repel a GHA side that never gave up and kept the nervous home supporters on their toes.
Grammar coach Ali O’Connor said: “Even when we win we make hard work of it. Perhaps one day we’ll put in an entire 80 minutes. But it was a good, deserved win, full of excellent performances. Our set- pieces were good. We’ll now enjoy our last three games.”
Grammar set the tone by taking the early plays to GHA. They earned two penalties, kicked by centre Tom Aplin. Stand off Sam Knudson dropped a superb 35-yard goal in 15 minutes. A pushover try was attributed to lock Robin Cessford, converted by Knudson, to make it 16-0 and at that stage it looked like the visitors might be over-run.
But as has been the Grammar way, they eased off, allowing the Braidholm Road side back into the game. Full back Grant Mollison strolled through a poor home defence for a try which was converted by Andrew Goldie.
Before the break, Grammar added unconverted tries by Aplin and flanker Matt McCall.
But the fragile home defence had been caught out between those two scores when GHA wing er Jonathon Hamilton-Potter scored in the corner and Goldie added the extras. The sides turned around at half-time with Grammar leading 26-14.
The second half belonged to the Rubislaw men, though it took them until the 61st minute to add to their tally when Walker plunged over to give Aplin an easy kick under the posts to make it 33-14.
GHA hit back with tries from winger Andrew Spowart and replacement Chris Rome, one of which was converted.
But it was Aplin who had the last word with a late penalty to make the game safe.
Grammar had heroes all over the pitch. In the front row Ross Anderson was a tireless worker, as was flanker McCall, while Knudsonhadhis best game in a Grammar jersey.