Aberdeen Grammar were left to rue a slow start as they slumped to another defeat in the Premiership.
Grammar made a brave but ultimately futile bid to shake off the threat of relegation from the Premiership, battling back from the early shock of falling 28 points behind to title contenders Edinburgh Accies at Rubislaw in only their third game at home but it was too little, too late as Accies ran out 42-19 winners.
After only 20 minutes, even the most faithful of Grammar supporters must have feared the worst, as their team shipped four converted tries.
Remarkably, Ali O’Connor’s men rallied with a good 20 minute spell of their own as the home team clawed their way back into the game to trail 28-14 at the break.
But it was not to be as the Edinburgh side regained their composure in the early part of second half, scoring what proved to be a vital try through centre Robbie Kent, enabling the Raeburn Place side to take control.
But even then the Aberdeen side were not finished, surging back to score arguably the best try of the afternoon, attributed to replacement Ben Renton, adding to the first half touchdowns of flanker Greig Ryan and winger Nathan Brown, both converted by centre and co-captain Tom Aplin.
Accies were by this time well prepared for any further come back heroics, comfortably containing Grammar who succumbed to yet another break out for of Kent.
He made the game safe for the visitors whose win takes them into third place in the Premiership and well in contention for a play-off position involving the top four clubs.
For the visitors stand-off James Loomes was hugely influential, not only kicking six conversions out of six attempts but he also led his line with authority and vision.
What went on in those opening 20 minutes was hard to fathom, however, but it effectively ended the game as a contest, leaving even the Grammar coaching team puzzled by their team’s ineptitude, particularly as their charges had gone on to greater things from that point on.
“We just shouldn’t be in relegation trouble when we have players like flanker Ben Inglis in such dominating form,” said forwards coach Iain Stanger, a front row stalwart of the Grammar team in the early part of the 21st century.
Head coach Ali O’Connor was equally pushed to understand why his charges could not function for the full 80 minutes.
He said: “This game summed up our season. We have performed for 20 minute spells in most games.
“There were some notable performances out there today and not only in the Accies side. Ben Inglis was by far the best player on the field, while Patrick Mullholland made major impact from the bench in the pack and stand off Sam Knudson gave us all kind of options in attack.”
Accies may well go on to win the top amateur league but will be grateful to have survived the home onslaught and lived to tell the day.
The player’s pain at a successive ninth defeat was reflected by captain Aplin who said: “We bitterly regret our poor start to the game but there was sufficient moments there to convince us that we are progressing, making next week’s game here with GHA a make or break one. We’ll be giving it our best shot.”
As it stands, Grammar are 11 points behind Jed-Forest who since winning last on October 9 have not won a game.
Continuation of such a run of form could make them vulnerable to any late charge the Rubislaw side might be able to mount. Grammar might yet live to regret 59-36 defeat handed to them by the Borderers in September at Rubislaw.
