A 'Hammer' hat-trick eases Ophir to victory

School Former Pupils in the League Section of the Gordon West Cup. Despite the encounter being fairly meaningless with neither side likely to progress from the League Section, the game transpired to be extremely competitive, and at times very bad tempered.

Ophir opened the scoring very early on - a big drive from the Ophir pack put them over the High School line and number 8 Neil Gray neatly touched down. Out half Johnny Greer missed the conversion. The Ophir forwards continued to dominate and within 5 minutes doubled their lead when Neil Gray performed exactly the same act as before, touching down on the back of a brilliant forward drive. Johnny Greer also performed the same act as before, missing the conversion. High School eventually worked their way back into the game and gained good ground to about 10 metres from the Ophir line. Awarded a penalty for the Ophir backs encroaching offside, the home team opted for a kick to touch. For the next 5 minutes it looked as if the better option might have been to kick the points but their persistence duly paid off as their giant second row barged his way over the line in the corner. 10 - 5 to Ophir but the remainder of the half settled into a drab midfield struggle for possession, not pretty to watch.

Discipline went out the window in the second half, with fights breaking out at regular intervals and the referee yellow carding players from both teams. In between, there was some decent rugby, the highlight being Neil Gray's third try from another excellent forward trundle. This time Johnny Greer converted. And High School responded with a great try under the posts, again from their second row. The successful conversion signalled the end of the scoring and the last stages of the game were played out in relatively peaceful harmony, marred only by injury to young Ophir winger, Craig Smith. We wish him well in his recovery. The final scoreline was High School 12, Ophir 17.