Edinburgh Accies extended their unbeaten run to 14 games after beating Aberdeen 10 – 24 at Rubislaw.
Aberdeen displayed moments of flare and determination, yet the visitor’s ability to counter-attack and seize opportunities saw them walk away victorious and stay unbeaten at the top of BT National 1.
Accies were quick to justify their position at the top of the table. Despite Aberdeen having the majority of the possession, it was Accies who scored first. A well-worked lineout move saw the ball popped back into the 5-metre channel for Hooker Callum Black to cross over.
The visitors crossed over once more on the 22nd minute. A poor Aberdeen clearance allowed Accies to work the ball through the hands and dot down on the far touchline. The men from Raeburn came straight back again scampering through the Aberdeen defence and adding a third 4 minutes later.
The men from the granite city began to find their hands late in the half linking together double-digit phases. However, it was Accies who would shine, their speed and ability to reset in defence prevented the home side walking away with anything from their late attacking opportunities.
Half-time Aberdeen 0 – 17 Edinburgh Accies
The second half saw both sides come out and up the pace. Off the back of a strong wide counter-attack, Aberdeen’s Greig Ryan opened up the scoring from the back of the scrum to dot down in the corner 4 minutes into the second half.
Aberdeen continued to attack well, slowly creeping up the pitch. A yellow card to Accies no. 13 Robbie Chalmers on the 50th minute gave the home side the advantage they needed to double their haul. Grant Walker dove into the corner after a well-worked set-piece saw Murray Mitchell time his pass perfectly to send the veteran winger darting over the whitewash.
The home side’s man advantage didn’t last long as Matthias Schosser’s risky intercept attempt saw the prop sent to the sin bin on the 60th minute. Accies seized the opportunity to attack the weakened Aberdeen pack and drove their maul over 1 minute later to gain their 12th try bonus of the season.
The final 20 minutes saw play slow as the sides began to tire and temperatures drop.
Both teams struggled to make real inroads into the oppositions half with both defences holding strong up to the final whistle.
Full-time Aberdeen 10 – 24 Edinburgh Accies
After the match head coach, Ali O’Connor said: “I have mixed emotions. We at times played some good rugby and I wish we had played the ball a little wider. The big pity is that when we got back into the game we had opportunities to push on further and a little bit of inaccuracy in the set piece let us down and slowed our momentum. Our defence once again was great as was our resilience in the second half but credit to Accies especially in the second half when we came back at them they put the brakes on us and really stifled the game up.”
Next weekend Aberdeen are on the road again this time to GHA who currently sit 4 points above them in BT National 1.
Aberdeen Rugby: Doug Russell, Grant Walker, Alex Ratcliffe (c), Murray Mitchell, Matt Arnold, Bryn Perrott, Tommy Morrison, Calum Reddish, Matthias Schosser, Rob Ellinson, Aaron Robertson, Drew Whitehead, Alec Dravitski, Will Alton, Greig Ryan
Replacements: Peter Gillies, Ewan Stewart, Dominic Wallen, Bailey Walsh, Calum Ruxton
Edinburgh Academicals: Luther Hirini, Conor Hirini, Robbie Chalmers, Neil Armstrong, Callum Ramm, Richard Mill, Sam Johnson, Finlay Richardson, Callum Black, Clement Lacour, Angus Inwood, Ronan Seydak, Jack Mann, Jamie Sole (c), Lawrie Seydak
Replacements: Rory Simpson, Shaun Gunn, Robin Snape, Max Love, Will Stephen