Edinburgh Accies 7 - 17 Watsonians: Barnes furious at 'worst display'

Published on Sunday 4 October 2009 23:38

STRAIGHT-TALKING Edinburgh Accies coach Ian Barnes was characteristically forthright in his assessment of his side's latest defeat.

Reflecting on a lacklustre effort in the final half hour of a match Accies looked poised to win, he said: "The front five caved in. That is probably the worst display by a front five in any team I have ever coached."

Barnes had seen his side reach the interval 8-0 in arrears after Mike Ker had kicked a penalty for Watsonians and Stuart McInally pounced for a try following a charged down clearance kick.

The visitors could have been further ahead and looked as if they might pay for failing to capitalise on their pressure.

Barnes introduced four substitutes and the fresh legs proved effective shortly after the restart when Fijian international Jack Prasad powered through the Watsonians defence for a try and another of the replacements, Ross Samson, added the conversion.

However, instead of kicking on and posting a victory, Accies allowed their opponents to resume control. Ker profited from the growing disarray in the home ranks to slot a second penalty.

And the Watsonians stand off defied the blustery conditions to hammer over two long range efforts and complete the misery for Barnes, whose players have now followed three wins in the opening weeks of the campaign with three defeats.

The result came on the back of two loses for Watsonians and brought a smile to the face of coach Bruce Aitchison.

He said, "I'm far happier, purely because we came up to the mark. We looked determined, we scrummed well and the lineout was exceptional."

Aitchison knows that greater consistency is required and there is still much work to be done. He left Raeburn Place promising himself only a modest celebration – "I can now enjoy Strictly Come Dancing."

Scorers: Edinburgh Accies: Try: Prasad. Con: Samson.

Watsonians: Try: McInally. Pens: Ker 4.

Edinburgh Accies: S Moffat; C Dickie, I Berthinussen, S Wilson, M Coupar; R Bonner, D Duffus; R Mathieson, M Strachan, J Henderson, E Stuart, G Campbell, R Snape, D Denton, T Drennan. Subs used: T Jackson, J Raduva, D Teague, J Prasad, R Samson.

Watsonians: M Ker; A McCulloch, D Brown, B Di Rollo, M Learmonth; R Martin, J Blackwood; G Holmes, G Wood, D O'Connell, R Dean, M Rennie, J Pelter, G Callander, S McInally. Subs used: G Scott, N Tunnah, T Weizman, H Grant, M McKee.

Referee: G Gordon.