Date: Saturday, 4th September 2004
Kickoff time: 15:00
Against: Watsonians
Team: Hawks 1st XV
Location: Home
Competition: Premiership Division 1
Final score: 25 - 24 (won)

Hawks withstood a second half comeback from 14 man Watsonians to win 25-24 at Old Anniesland-full report fromScotland on Sunday; Hawks nearly throw away winning position against fourteen men MARTIN HANNAN AT OLD ANNIESLAND GLASGOW HAWKS 25 WATSONIANS 24 DESPITE a stirring fightback by 14-man Watsonians, champions Glasgow Hawks held on by the narrowest of margins for a victory towards which they looked to be coasting after 50 minutes of play. They led 25-3 at that point and the visitors were in some disarray with a red card having been shown to prop forward Daniel O’Connell just before half-time. As often happens in these circumstances, the remaining 14 Watsonians raised their game to such an extent that they nearly pulled off a memorable victory in what became a very close and tense affair. For a match played in sunshine involving the Scottish champions against likely title challengers, and with the spice of Glasgow-Edinburgh rivalry involved, the attendance was disappointing, to say the least. No more than 400 were at Old Anniesland - the Hawks’ programme editor made a passionate plea for an elite division in club rugby, but it had better happen soon or there will be nobody left watching the club game. Those who did turn up witnessed a fairly even first half in which defences were largely on top. Mike Adamson missed an early penalty attempt for Hawks and there were precious few real attacks in the opening quarter. The new championship rules, some of them experimental, mean that Scottish club rugby now has rolling substitutes in all but name. With each side having up to 12 opportunities each to swap players, it is now impossible to chart all the replacements. Suffice to say everybody got a game, which is what the law change was supposed to bring about. Referees have also been told to be stricter in their application of the laws regarding interference with clear opposition possession. Yesterday’s umpire Iain Ramage, as fussy as ever, made several crucial interventions along these lines, showing the yellow card to Bernard Hennessey for such an offence as early as the ninth minute. There was no more important action by Ramage than the dismissal of O’Connell for an apparent forearm smash in the 39th minute. By that time Hawks were leading 11-0, thanks to two Adamson penalties and a Wes Henry try in the 27th minute which owed everything to Kenny Sinclair’s dummy and break from halfway. Adamson missed the conversion, which may have acted as a cue for Watsonians to begin their contribution to the game. Colin Gregor’s football skills took the ball to Hawks’ try line where Colin Shaw just managed to snaffle possession, and with the home side unable to clear their lines, Hennessey’s penalty after 34 minutes put Watsonians on the scoreboard. O’Connell’s transgression did not appear worthy of a red card, but off he went. Within minutes, Hawks capitalised with a break down the line from Stuart Low who fed Ricky Munday inside and he lobbed the ball to his centre partner Ally MacLay for a fine try under the posts, which Adamson converted to make the half-time score 18-3. Watsonians appeared dead and buried in the 49th minute when Gavin Mories pounced on a loose throw-in at lineout, the prop’s swan dive for the score bringing purrs of satisfaction from the front row union in the stand. Adamson converted, and the Hawks’ fans sat back to enjoy an easy afternoon. But so, too, did the Hawks’ players, and how close they came to paying the price for their complacency. With nothing to lose and with their back row rampant, and with Jamie Blackwood and Hennessey dictating matters, the visitors began to tear into Hawks with a pace and flair they had hitherto concealed. After 53 minutes, play went right and left across the pitch before Stephen Lawrie popped up to grab the ball and romp over for a try which Hennessey converted. Three minutes later, Stuart McAllister scored an excellent individual try, breaking down the wing, chipping over the defence and gathering the ball on the run. Glaswegian alarm bells should have been ringing, especially when Mark Stitch committed one offence too many and was sin-binned on the hour mark. Instead of Hawks closing down the game, it was Watsonians who took the initiative and a fine McAllister break led to Blackwood’s try and Hennessey’s conversion which made the score 25-24 with 15 minutes left. Hawks steadied the ship and began to play with ball in hand as their numerical superiority was restored after Stitch’s return. Try as they might, Watsonians could not get out of their own half to snatch that clinching score, and Hawks finished on top despite the nearly unbearable tension of seven minutes of injury time. Glasgow Hawks: C Shaw; W Henry, A MacLay, R Munday, S Low; M Adamson, K Sinclair; E Milligan, F Thomson, G Mories, S Begley, R Maxton, S Swindall, N McKenzie, M Stitch. Replacements: G Francis, A Warnock, R Gillies, R McKnight. Watsonians: A Nash; S McAllister, C Gregor, B Hennessey, K Bavadra; C McWilliam, J Blackwood; K Coertze, S Lawrie, D O’Connell, R Duncan, A Wright, I Dryburgh, N Cochrane, T Takiari. Replacements: B Di Rollo, R Stewart, S Laird, G Brown. No team list has been added yet.

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