Date: Saturday, 28th September 2013
Kickoff time: 15:00
Against: Ayr
Team: Hawks 1st XV
Location: Home
Competition: Premiership Division 1
Final score: 26 - 32 (lost)

Glasgow Hawks 26 Gala 34 "Auld Ayr wham ne'er a toun surpasses For honest men and bonnie lasses." by Robert Burns So, on an unseasonably warm autumn’s day Hawks welcomed the “Honest Men” of Ayr to Old Anniesland. The Scottish Champions visited after a stuttering start to their season and new that a loss to Hawks would put them in the doldrums. With this in mind Ayr started at a frenetic pace from the kick off, putting the hosts onto the back foot. A break from former Hawk, Craig Gossman, saw the winger come close to the lie in the first minute. Hawks defended frantically, holding Ayr short but the power of the Ayr pack saw lock Callum Templeton over from close range. Finn Russell missed the conversion. (0-5) Straight from the restart, Ayr strayed offside just inside their own 10 meter line allowing James Gormley to step up and immediately narrow the scoring gap. (3-5) Hawks were now dominant, in the pack there was an impressive struggle between the front rows in the scrum and Ayr scrum half, Murray McConnell was unable to use much of the ball his pack won as Paddy Boyer was on him like a rash. In the lineout the home side took several Ayr throws and in Captain Ross Miller and new buy Angus Hamilton their own ball was secure. The only frustration was that with all this possession and territory all Hawks had to show for it was a solitary penalty from Gormley in 22 minutes. (6-5) Hawks were rueing their failure to take advantage of their possession in 25 minutes, when Ayr made a rare foray into the home 22. Ayr had attacked down the left wing with Craig Gossman breaking through the home defence. Gormley halted the wings progress and Hawks seemed to get the upper hand as the defence competed in the ruck. As the ball came back slowly, Ayr scrum half McConnell tacked sharply and ran down the side without any harm and went over for a simple score. With Finn Russell converting Ayr had stamped their authority on the game. (6-12) Hawks now seemed to reel and Craig Gossman continued to torment his former team-mates. Gathering the ball in his own half he broke for 50 metres evading tackles. As he ran out of space he put a pass to Ross Curle who felt the full force of Hawks cover, preventing a score. Hawks again started to dominate the visitors, an Ayr lineout in Hawks 22 saw Andrew Linton take a clean ball on the throw. In their desperation to assault Hawks Ayr had set up well offside. The penalty took Glasgow deep into the Ayr half and the pack were driving Hawks forward. 40 minutes had passed when Hawks were awarded a “kickable” penalty about 10 metres from the line. Miller went for the quick tap and they were held up short of the line it seemed that the chance was lost. The ball came back from the ruck to Boyer who sharply darted under the cover for a try close to the posts with Gormley converting. The half time whistle blew and Hawks deservedly went in with the lead. (13-12) Hawks began the half brightly and started to add to Ayr’s woes when Gormley went over for a try in 47 minutes following a lung bursting break. (18-12) Ayr introduced a change at scrum half for Ayr which was to prove crucial, another former Hawk, Peter Jericevich replacing McConnell. The scrum half, who seems to have been for much longer than his age would show, took command of the pack. He marshalled them and brought a focus which had been missing in the first half. His presence could not be ignored and when he went over for a try in 50 minutes from close to the left corner following a catch and drive. (18-17) Ayr now dominated proceedings and Craig Gossman on the right wing was a constant source of torment. Hawks seemed to have received a killer blow when Gossman chased a kick ahead and went over for a straightforward score after 55 minutes. Ross Curle’s conversion opened up a gap and Hawks seemed to be struggling to keep pace with the Champions. (18-24) Hawks seemed to have received a killer blow with ten minutes to pay as Ayr centre Robbie Fergusson scored the try of the afternoon. He gathered a pass just inside his own half. He angled a run past his opposite number ghosting beyond the ten metre line. Another tackle missed and he ran on into the 22 a third despairing tackle failed and the Ayr man went over in the corner at the hockey field end. A missed conversion didn’t seem to offer much hope. (18-29) Whilst in passages of play Hawks appeared to have lost their way, there was also a recognition of the strength which had allowed them to dominate the first half. The pack started to assert itself again, a lineout In the Ayr half saw Miller take a clean ball Boyer put the ball out to the backs and the backs burst into the visitor’s 22. As they closed on the line, Miller burst through to go over for the try, unfortunately Gormley missed the extras. (23-29) It seemed that Hawks were to settle for a losing bonus but even that was put in doubt when Ayr Curle put a penalty over in the last minute. (23-32) Once again Hawks dug deep and once again time was not on their side as they fought their way into the visitors 22. Ayr conceded a penalty and it fell to Gormley to kick the score which secured the bonus point. Hawks had lost narrowly to some weel kent faces and perhaps it was time to consider and dismiss the words of the bard; “Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?” Time to forget until here’s a chance of revenge later in the season Glasgow Hawks 26 Ayr 32 Hawks Tries​Boyer 40, Gormley 47, Miller 76 Con​Gormley 40 Pen​Gormley 4, 22, 80​ Hawick Tries​Templeton 2, McConnell 25, Jericevich 50, C Gossman 55, Fergusson 70 Con ​Russell 25, Curle 55 Pen​Curle 78 Ayr showed their championship pedigree as they ran in five tries against Hawks at Old Anniesland on Saturday. The Glasgow holiday weekend saw a busy ground as the supporters from both sides came out for this west coast derby match on a glorious autumn day. It seems that no Hawks home game can start these days without an early try. This time, however, it was the visitors who opened the scoring. Putting pressure on the home line with the opening salvo, it fell to second row, Callum Templeton to dive over from the base of a ruck. The conversion was missed and hawks brought narrowed the gap within a minute as Ayr immediately gave up a penalty which James Gormley put over. Hawks pack were in the ascendant but they were unable to take advantage and just over the twenty minutes the received a 2nd penalty which Gormley goaled. Although Hawks had looked strong and indeed were dominating the lineout, Ayr were with the ball in hand. Scrum-half Murray McConnell going over with ease as tacklers failed to challenge from about 15 metres out. With Ross Curle’s conversion it was 12-6 to the visitors. Hawks battered away at the Ayr defence and were taking most of the honours up front. Ross Miller opted for a tap penalty when it seemed the 3 points were there to be taken. The initial surge failed and the ball was recycled, just as it looked like the scoring chance had passed, Patrick Boyer took the ball and stepped inside and over for the try. Gormley goaled to give Hawks the half time lead, 13-12. Ayr had done well to stay so close in the first half and were rewarded for their tenacity when after 10 minutes, replacement Peter Jericevich went over for the first score of the second half. Hawks were 4 points down and no one had any doubts they would be back. But former Hawks Jericevich was dominating the game marshalling his pack and putting Hawks on the back foot. Craig Gossman secured the try bonus in 55 minutes and with the extras, Hawks seemed out of the running. But this season Hawks have been notable for their 80 minute game and Miller revitalised their hopes in 76 minutes after Angus Hamilton took clean lineout ball and the Glasgow men mauled it over the line. The losing bonus seemed in sight for the 4th time and with the Gala match in mind there was an air of expectation in the crowd. However from the restart Ayr goaled a penalty and it was left to the last kick of the ball for Hawks to secure the losing bonus. Team list for this match Andrew Kirkland Andrew Linton Andy White Brendan Cullihane Callum Kerr David Milne Finlay Gillies Haddon Mcpherson James Gormley Mateusz Bartoszek Paddy Boyer Robbie Houliston Robert Beattie Stephen Leckey Steven Findlay Tom Steven

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