Northern lost 14-45 at home to Edinburgh Accies. Match summary by Alan Belford.
Another warm afternoon and a bone hard pitch at McCracken Park was the setting for this afternoon's second pre-season warm up game of four quarters against our visitors Edinburgh Accies.
The first quarter was very competitive with Northern trying to exert forward dominance and the Accies trying to release their slick, pacey backs. Accies drew first blood with a tapped penalty and crisp handling leading to a converted try.
The first quarter was very competitive with Northern trying to exert forward dominance and the Accies trying to release their slick, pacey backs. Accies drew first blood with a tapped penalty and crisp handling leading to a converted try.
Northern responded with the pack exerting pressure in the visitors' 22, forcing a series of penalties before a neat pass on the short side put Lewis Robertson in at the corner. Ali Gray, showing his versatility in playing fly half this week, slotted the conversion with a fine kick to leveL the scores.
Accies weren't to be denied though and exposed Northern's wide defence moving the ball with pace and accuracy to their wing for a second converted try. 14-7 to Accies at the quarter end.
Accies showed the quality and sheer out and out pace of their back line in the second quarter scoring three tries, one converted, without reply.
The first was another demonstration of their fast handling moving the ball out to their wing who sped in.
Their second was from their scrum in the home 22 with slick hands and an inside pass on the blind side resulting in the score.
The third was down to sheer speed when after winning the ball from a scrum inside their 22, they ran the ball then a chip kick and chase left our defence chasing shadows. 7-31 to Accies at the end of quarter 2.
Northern tried to get a grip from the off in quarter three when good work by the pack from a penalty lineout catch and drive saw Ross Colesky ground the ball for the try. Ali Gray added the extras with another excellent strike to close the gap.
Accies, however, once again exposed our wide defence when their pacy right wing sped away to score a super converted try.
Sadly, with the Northern pack in the ascendancy, the game went to uncontested scrums after Accies lost both their hookers to injury.
Accies weren't to be denied though and exposed Northern's wide defence moving the ball with pace and accuracy to their wing for a second converted try. 14-7 to Accies at the quarter end.
Accies showed the quality and sheer out and out pace of their back line in the second quarter scoring three tries, one converted, without reply.
The first was another demonstration of their fast handling moving the ball out to their wing who sped in.
Their second was from their scrum in the home 22 with slick hands and an inside pass on the blind side resulting in the score.
The third was down to sheer speed when after winning the ball from a scrum inside their 22, they ran the ball then a chip kick and chase left our defence chasing shadows. 7-31 to Accies at the end of quarter 2.
Northern tried to get a grip from the off in quarter three when good work by the pack from a penalty lineout catch and drive saw Ross Colesky ground the ball for the try. Ali Gray added the extras with another excellent strike to close the gap.
Accies, however, once again exposed our wide defence when their pacy right wing sped away to score a super converted try.
Sadly, with the Northern pack in the ascendancy, the game went to uncontested scrums after Accies lost both their hookers to injury.
Accies had the final say when they attacked down the short side and worked the ball back inside to their centre who fizzed through a half gap and sprinted in under the posts. The try was improved to leave the score 14-45 to Accies at end of quarter three.
The final quarter ended in stalemate as Northern's pack were somewhat hamstrung by the game having uncontested scrums but at least Northern's defence finally got to grip with the dangerous Accies backs. Full time 14-45 to Accies.
This was a good test for Northern against a team who were in the Scottish premiership last season. Despite missing a few of our regular front line players there were some very good performances by several of our players in a game that was a step up from last week. Accies did put on a display with some very good tries to enjoy as their backs showed their pedigree. No game next week as our final warm up game is at home to Alnwick the following Saturday.
The final quarter ended in stalemate as Northern's pack were somewhat hamstrung by the game having uncontested scrums but at least Northern's defence finally got to grip with the dangerous Accies backs. Full time 14-45 to Accies.
This was a good test for Northern against a team who were in the Scottish premiership last season. Despite missing a few of our regular front line players there were some very good performances by several of our players in a game that was a step up from last week. Accies did put on a display with some very good tries to enjoy as their backs showed their pedigree. No game next week as our final warm up game is at home to Alnwick the following Saturday.
