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Another week and another match correspondent. Annabelle Barlow is the new addition to the ever growing list of match reporters, with this week's offering:
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Ladies pile on the points
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GHA arrived at Myreside on a grey afternoon with just thirteen players- and one of those had only come along to spectate. Watsonians were also struggling with injuries, with a number of broken players supporting on the touchline. Indeed the lone substitute, Sheena Buchanan (retired), would have had plenty of room for a lie down on the home bench, if it physically existed.
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We did not have to wait long for the first score of the day. Prop Kate Ho's storming run was finished off by Alex Pratt. The try was converted by Emma Evans 7-0.
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Her second successful conversion soon followed after Clare Murray benefited from a kick through by her centre partner, Pratt. 14-0.
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The kick-off failed to go ten and a scrappy passage of play ensued. GHA had their first foray into Watsonian's 22, but a knock on gave the home team a chance to clear. A penalty kicked to touch then provided Watsonians with a line-out in a good attacking position. Off-the-top ball launched stand off Emma Evans on an incisive run, linking well with Pratt, who was cut down short of the line with a textbook tackle. From the ruck, the massive overlap was ignored. The preferred short ball resulted in a knock on and the chance was lost. However, turnover ball at the resulting scrum saw Kate Ho score anyway. Conversion missed 19-0.
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More turnover ball at ruck time supplied Pratt with the next score, as she ran 3/4 the length of the pitch. Conversion successful 26-0.
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The match was becoming a bit of a procession. An interlude of drama was unintentionally provided when Captain Keri Holdsworth left the pitch after an 'egg' sprang up on her cheek bone. There were calls from the crowd for super-sub Buchanan to get stripped off. Before she had a chance (actually there was a laid-back discussion that they could manage with 14), Holdsworth, smeared with vaseline, ran back on the pitch. The injury did not seem to adversely affect the number 8. She picked up from the base of an attacking scrum, to stroll over the try line. Conversion missed 31-0.
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Before the end of the half, GHA had a chance from a penalty near the line. Watsonians strong defence, built on from previous weeks, held them out and forced the error.
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As the second half kicked off, good ground was gained through the boot of number 10 Evans. A promising backs surge towards the line was ended with the final pass to full back Lesley Gray declared forward. The Watsonian's scrum, dominant all afternoon, stole another against the head. The ball was shipped out wide, but an inaccurate pass forced Pratt onto her backside to collect it. She smoothly managed to get to her feet and cut a good angle against the covering defence to touch down under the posts. Successful conversion 38-0.
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Pratt could have added to her haul shortly afterwards. The ball was swept out to the wing, following good support play from the forwards. Unfortunately Pratt dropped the ball over the line. Whilst the home support was still chuckling, she made amends. The pack drove forward to win scrum ball. Number 9, Emma Beth Wilson, popped a short pass to Pratt, who pocketed her 4th try. Conversion missed 43-0.
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The pattern of play from kick offs was becoming increasing depressing for the visitors from Glasgow. Sarah Louise Walker fielded a high ball and running open, passed to the ubiquitous Pratt. Alex, selected for the Rugby Ecosse squad for Dubai next month, displayed silky running skills to outflank the tiring defence and score try number five. Conversion successful 50-0.
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Second row Steph Garnett, imperious in the line-out, won good ball on the half way line for Evans to run on to. Evan's jinking run as supported by Murray. Yet again the final pass to Gray was judged forward by the referee. There was little time for the reporter to enjoy the jelly beans on the sideline before the next score needed jotting down. (Unprepared for the day's task, notes were being scrawled on the party invitation belonging to the child in charge of the kicking tee. He was incidentally complaining about all the running on and off he was having to do.)
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Back to the action... The ninth try came from a lengthy run from Pratt as she cut through the opposition's defence once more. Conversion successful 57-0. Evans scored a deserved try to take the score up to 62-0. Then from a scrum, Murray attracted two defenders and delivered a scoring (and backwards!) pass to Gray. Conversion successful 69-0. Evans bagged her second of the day after straight running from her own half saw her in under the posts. Conversion missed 74-0.
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The day worsened for GHA as their centre, who had run and tackled bravely, hobbled from the pitch. Evans then outpaced the defence, following a number 8 pick up at a scrum, to score her hat-trick. Missed conversion 79-0.
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Déjà vu was setting in as Pratt ran the length of the pitch from kick off to increase the scoreline. Scotland hooker Walker, playing in the back row to cover injuries, kicked the conversion 86-0. We were lucky, as Walker was only playing due to a 'diary malfunction'. We, and she, thought she was away up north for the weekend. Sandwiches had even been made for the journey before she realised it was the wrong weekend. Walker was duly fined. She was rewarded on the pitch though with the next try from a scrambled kick through, but missed the subsequent conversion 91-0.
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As the game drew to a close, the chilly spectators lost all feeling in their toes. GHA lost another player and another score. From under their own posts, a confident Watsonian's side passed the ball as Evans popped to Garnett. Her stint at police school has obviously served her well as the newly qualified PC 'sprinted' the length of the pitch. That was to be the final addition to the scoreline- a good day's work at 96-0.
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The reporter nipped off to deliver the 'tee boy' to his party before returning to the clubhouse for a warming hot chocolate (with marshmallows)- a welcome addition to Myreside's refreshments.
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Player of the match- Alex Pratt- for copious scores.
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Tries; Pratt 7, Evans 3, Ho, Walker, Garnett, Holdsworth, Murray, Gray
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Conversions; Evans 7, Walker 1
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Team; L Ogilvie, K Fisher, K Ho, J Hamill, S Garnett, SL Walker, K Holdsworth, E Jones, EB Wilson, E Evans, C Murray, A Pratt, N Nicholls, S McKeown, L Gray
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Next match: HOME v Kirkcaldy 2pm, Sunday 9th December
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AB
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watsoniansrugby.com
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Published: 20/11/07
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