Greenock Telegraph | Sport | Relegation looks certain for rugby men

Friday, 9th January, 2009

Published: Friday, 11th January, 2008 12:30

Relegation looks certain for rugby men

By Chris Fitzgerald

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Image related to story, see caption or article text

Getting there: Wanderers’ fantastic new clubhouse development at Fort Matilda is nearing completion.

Pic by: Kris Cairns

GREENOCK Wanderers embark on a sequence of seven home league matches on the trot tomorrow, when they host Hillfoots/Alloa at Fort Matilda.

Defeat tomorrow effectively ends the locals’ hopes of saving their First Division status and will, in real terms, mean Second Division rugby next season.

Being 21 points adrift at the bottom of the league, with only seven games remaining, the signs are, not only have Wanderers fallen through the trap door, but it is also almost shut behind them.

The visitors do not have their problems to seek either, and are one of three teams — Cambuslang and Edinburgh University being the others — who could well join Wanderers in the drop unless they secure a couple of results to steady their particular ship.

When the teams last met in October at Tillicoultry, the hosts took the points with a narrow 14-5 victory, but have won only five of their 17 matches to date and sit equal second bottom of the league.

Wanderers, in typical dogged fashion, will soldier on. They intend fighting tooth and nail in an effort to win some games and salvage pride from a season that has, at times, plumbed the depths of despair.

President Donnie Cunningham said: “Tomorrow is a game we can win, particularly with a good home support at our backs. The Hillfoots games have been some of the tightest we’ve had over the years and it’s an opportunity for the players to seize the game by the scruff of the neck and impose themselves.

“We have a solid pack that can win ball and some strong running backs. The boys have just got to believe in themselves a bit more and the win will come.”

Managerial encouragement and coaching support have been in plentiful supply this season, to a group of young players struggling to find their feet in senior rugby. Inconsistent and enigmatic are two words that aptly describe their performance to date, but there is clear evidence of ability and quality, though a cohesive team unit is still to be built around some very talented youngsters.

For tomorrow’s match there is unlikely to be too much change from the side that fell at Langholm. The pack will have to front up again and secure ball that can be used to good effect. Ali Abernethy, Calum Robb and Liam Scully were particularly prominent in that department last week and more of the same will be appreciated tomorrow.

Hillfoots are used to playing on a tight ground and the wide open spaces of Fort Matilda should be utilised by a Wanderers backline that does not lack pace. Winger David Watson has been in fine form of late and, given quality ball and some space to work in, he could well be a match winner for the hosts tomorrow.

Captain Chris Clark certainly deserves to lead his team to victory and has coped admirably with the pressures thrust onto his young shoulders this season.

Greenock Wanderers v Hillfoots/Alloa at Fort Matilda, kick-off 2pm: K Murray, D Murray, S McTavish, J Smith, K Smith, C Clark[C], J Stewart, B Wright, A Knox, N Wright, D Watson, A Devlin, M McLaren, G Patterson, R Lavelle, D Paton, M Rodger, M Coyle, J Mooney, L Scully, N Patterson, D Clayton, C Robb, G Finnie, A Abernethy.

l Wanderers are sponsored by National Semiconductor (UK) Ltd.

l Spectators should check the news page on the Wanderers web site for any postponements due to weather — www.greenockwanderers.co.uk

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