Greenock Telegraph | Sport | Wanderers back in action with Accies home friendly

Thursday, 16th October, 2008

Published: Friday, 14th March, 2008 12:00

Wanderers back in action with Accies home friendly

Greenock Wanderers get back into action tomorrow with a friendly fixture against Glasgow Academicals FP at Fort Matilda.

The locals will be eager to return after a three-week lay-off as bad weather and cup competitions have taken centre stage in the Scottish club rugby scene during February.

Wanderers will be relegated at the end of this season into the Second Division of the National Leagues, which is where tomorrow’s opponents Glasgow Accies are currently plying their trade.

Accies though, have relegation worries of their own, but a couple of wins should secure their Second Division status for next season and ensure the clubs will formally meet on league business before the end of the year. Glasgow Accies are, of course, one of the oldest clubs in Scotland and re-emerged after the 1996 amalgamation with Glasgow High/Kelvinside created the new super club Glasgow Hawks.

The success of the Hawks is well documented, but Accies have quietly moved through the District Leagues to once more compete at a decent level in the National League set up.

For Wanderers, the remainder of the season will focus very much on collective pride and getting some results on the board, thus creating the feel good factor ahead of next season’s attempt to immediately bounce back into the First Division.

President Donnie Cunningham said: “We are looking forward to the fixture and getting some match practice before our final few league games this season. It’s been a long haul, but all the travelling is over and the players will enjoy the closing few weeks playing in front of a home support and enjoying the new clubhouse facility. Pride and preparing for next season are foremost in our thoughts just now.”

Head coach Dave McVey looks likely to experiment over the next few weeks and some of Wanderers’ young talent may well get the opportunity to show the coach what they can do.

Current U-18 players Lee Tyley, Dougie McIntyre, Alan McMichael, and of course U-17s Scotland selection Andy Kirkland, may all get a run in the senior side before the end of the season as McVey assesses his squad ahead of next year’s campaign. Skipper Chris Clark will lead the side as usual and the forward pack will look to seize the initiative and secure the upper hand early on. Graham Mooney and Calum Robb will be expected to make the hard yards round the fringes and scrum-half Andy McDougall will look to continue his fine run of form, linking the forward and back division with some crisp service.

An entertaining 80 minutes is in prospect, as well as live television covering the Super Saturday Six Nations finale. All three matches will be screened in the clubhouse.

Members and guests staying on after the final match are asked to utilise the members’ bar, owing to a private function booking in the function suite.

Greenock Wanderers v Glasgow Academicals FP, kick-off 11.30am at Fort Matilda: All the 1st XV squad are to attend as directed after selection meeting. Wanderers’ U-18s host Kilmarnock at Fort Matilda with a 2pm kick-off.

l Wanderers are sponsored by National Semiconductor [UK] Ltd.

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