Edgy win for Falkirk over dogged GHA side

Following on from their dramatic injury time try against Musselburgh, it took a converted Liam Brims penalty bang on full-time to secure a narrow victory over a very competent GHA outfit in an intensely contested encounter at Sunnyside last weekend.
Falkirk RFC v Glasgow Hutchesons' Aloysions RFC; Pic by Alan MurrayFalkirk RFC v Glasgow Hutchesons' Aloysions RFC; Pic by Alan Murray
Falkirk RFC v Glasgow Hutchesons' Aloysions RFC; Pic by Alan Murray

It made it two wins on the bounce for Falkirk and continues the Sunnysiders’ top-table challenge.

GHA deservedly took the lead in the fifth minute when captain Ben Addison, a former junior player at Falkirk, crashed over for an unconverted try following a series of five metre rucks.

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Brims slotted over a penalty for Falkirk three minutes later but an immediate response from the Glasgow side saw right-winger James Edgar in at the corner for a well taken try which scrum-half Murray Houston duly converted.

However the Sunnysiders regained their momentum, which enabled hooker Andrew Simpson to barge his way over from a five-metre ruck for an unconverted try in 17th minute.

Captain Harry Russell then caught the visitors napping with a quick tap penalty on their 22-metre line, before making an angular break for an opportunist try near the corner flag.

The closing 10 minutes saw both sides trade penalties apiece with Houston converting in the 30th and 46th minutes and Brims replied in the 32nd and 40th minute for a half-time score of Falkirk 19 GHA 18.

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The third quarter remained scoreless until Brims increased Falkirk’s lead with yet another deadly accurate long range penalty conversion in the 57th minute.

However the Glaswegians retook the lead by a slender point shortly afterwards when winger Charlie Lonergan latched onto a neat chip kick to the corner for an unconverted try. In a very tense and frenetic closing spell Brims slotted over another three pointer for Falkirk in the 74th minute but Houston replied in kind just two minutes later to make the score 26-25 in the Glasgow side’s favour.

Just as they had done the previous week Falkirk’s determination shone through. They were awarded a penalty in the dying seconds and with the watching home supporters holding their breath Brims sent the conversion sailing between the uprights from GHA 10-metre line.