West well set for league after eight-try display in cup derby

West of Scotland began the new rugby season in style with a 48-32 win over local rivals GHK in the first round of the BT National Cup.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st Aug 2016, 12:41 BST
West of Scotland v GHK  Scrum-half Rory Cuthbertson shakes off the tackler and heads for the lineWest of Scotland v GHK  Scrum-half Rory Cuthbertson shakes off the tackler and heads for the line
West of Scotland v GHK  Scrum-half Rory Cuthbertson shakes off the tackler and heads for the line

West haven’t had much joy in the cup in recent years and also lost both league derbies with GHK last season.

It looked like a familiar tale at Burnbrae as GHK started the scoring, with a penalty under the posts converted by Danny Campbell. But the traffic was soon reversed.

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Andy Goodall pounced on an error in the GHK defence to score in the corner, Blair Smith converting.

West were then awarded a penalty try, and a yellow card shown to GHK, after a maul was illegally pulled down. Smith again converted to make it 14-3.

An excellent Goodall break put Smith clear out wide and he touched down under the posts before converting his own try.

West went further ahead when Fraser Smeaton scored off the base following another good, driving maul and while this time the conversion was missed West were on total copntrol at 26-3 up.

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However they took their foot off the gas and GHK’s backs are too dangerous to allow teams to relax. They found an overlap for centre Robin Coats to score, Danny Campbell converting.

GHK then gave West a taste of their own medicine with a driving maul on the line, scum-half Campbell sneaking over and converting his own try to make the half-time score 26-17.

The second half started in the same way as the first, Campbell slotting over a penalty before West hit back hard.

A tap penalty saw Alex Fisken go through the defence to score under the posts through sheer determination. Smith converted and the scoreboard was

looking better at 31-20.

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Another good driving maul saw Smeaton score again off the base, this time unconverted, before Ross McAulay somehow kept the ball in play and passed it to Alex Fisken who pirouetted past the last defender and walked in to score.

There was no conversion but West added another score after a tap penalty went through the hands to find Harry Brewster who snuck over in the corner. Smith converted to make it 48-20.

GHK managed to score through a Campbell break and he converted his own try, and scored again right at the death when Cammy Hughes found an overlap.

There was no conversion but the match ended in a comfortable win for West, who ran in eight tries.

Cartha Queen’s Park are next up at Burnbrae for the first league match of the season on.