Date: Saturday, 4th April 2009
Kickoff time: 15:00
Against: Linlithgow
Team: Hawks 1st XV
Location: Away
Competition: Cup-Shield-Bowl-Plate
Final score: 24 - 5 (won)

GOSSMAN WRIGHT HAIR MACDONALD MURRAY NOBLE JERICEVICH STRAIN MORIES COX WHITTLESTON KELLY MCGARRITY STRANG HARKNESS STAFFORD FRANCIS MORRISON BOYER LINLITHGOW - 5 GLASGOW HAWKS - 24 Linlithgow hosted Premier 1 side Glasgow Hawks in the second round of the Scottish Hydro Electric Shield on Saturday. The visitors paid Linlithgow respect by bringing 19 players from their 1st XV pool. Hawks, knocked out of the cup by Howe of Fife, did not have a huge pack and their backs were not, in fact, dis-similar from the Reds. Last week Nathan Timlin of P5 minis led the lads out and this week's mascot was Rhys Thomson of P7. The Reds had a good start, keeping the Hawks in their own half and using the wind to turn the defence. Flanker Nicky Cowan was deemed offside and handed a yellow card, Mark Green in the centre was off with a cut and still the Reds pressed and were awarded a penalty which Tim Meadows just missed. There was little in the way of attack from the Hawks although their right winger looked very dangerous. Reds pack matched Hawks in the tussle but the defence from all the home players was immense and caused the premier lads concern. In the last minutes of the first half the ball broke to Mark Green who cut to his left to find Andy Birrell on his shoulder. After making a lot of ground, he released Stuart Cunningham who outpaced the despairing Hawks to score a remarkable opening try in the corner but it was a bit too far out for Meadows to convert. The home crowd was privy to the entertaining chat the Hawks coach Peter Wright had with his squad at half-time and, as expected, the visitors came out with a different attitude. However, Reds defence had the best 15 minutes this year and only when Birrell was given his first yellow card in his career for not releasing quickly enough did the tide turn in Hawks favour with Robbie Hair going over for a score, converted by Gossman. Still against 14 men, Hawks scored again with Gossman diving over for their second try at the posts, adding the simple conversion. He added a penalty on the half-hour and the game was really over with Hawks skipper, Noble, possessor of 69 caps for Zimbabwe, showing a bit of the class expected from a premier side stand-off. Peter Jericevich, finished the scoring with Hawks best try of the day. It must be asked what the score would have been had Linlithgow not been down to 14 men for 20 minutes. Both yellow cards were given for technical infringements. Team list for this match Grant Strang

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