Date: Saturday, 20th August 2005
Kickoff time: 15:00
Against: Preston Grasshoppers
Team: Hawks 1st XV
Location: Away
Competition: Friendly
Final score: 34 - 18 (won)

Hawks are due to visit Preston on 20 August k.o 3.0 p.m Preston Grasshoppers - 18 Glasgow Hawks - 34 PRESTON GRASSHOPPERS 18 GLASGOW HAWKS 34 Hoppers can take some encouragement from this warm-up game against a club which has been Scottish Premiership Champions for the last two seasons and, to some extent, paid the penalty for ringing the changes in terms of personnel in the second half. Also, they were without a number of key players, particularly first-choice props Toby Foster and John Peterson, both early victims of injuries. Having turned round just one point adrift at 18-19, Hoppers could feel somewhat hard done by because they started well enough. A searing break by new signing South African centre 'Apie' Pieterse on halfway was carried on by Olly Viney and a perfectly timed pass to Will Hughes put the winger in at the corner for a copybook backs' try. Paul Bailey converted and then kicked two penalties to open up a 13-point gap. The injury jinx struck again, however, when Pieterse left the field of play as a precaution after taking a knock on the shoulder and Hawks started to get into the game. Hoppers' re-jigged back line took time to come together and two mistakes gifted the visitors tries but not before replacement centre Mathieu Naddeo had off-loaded out of the tackle to give Will Hughes his second try. Hawks had the last word however with a better-worked try to put them just in front. The Scots had a much better second period and scored three more tries without reply, two by using their superior forward power after Hoppers had again rung the changes, with several players making debuts at this level. The home pack were far from outplayed, however, and Hoppers were unlucky not to add to their tally of points. New signings in scrum half Darren Wilson and winger Phil Meadwell both showed some nice touches and, as icing on the cake, after the match Hoppers signed Hawks hooker Dougie Monaghan who is coming to study in the area. AN EXTRACT FROM THE HISTORY OF PRESTON GRASSHOPPERS On the 28th September 1869 a meeting was held at the Bull Hotel, Preston at which the following resolution was passed: ‘That a club be at once formed in Preston to play football with the Rugby Rules of the game but without hacking. That the club be called ‘The Preston Grasshoppers.’ The name ‘Grasshoppers’ was chosen, as among the founders were several old boys of Cheltenham College. This school had a game ‘Fireflies v. Grasshoppers’ which is believed to continue to this day. Once the RFU was formed in 1871 Grasshoppers' adopted the official rules of the game, although they only applied to join the organisation in 1875. The Rugby Union Annual records of the time show that we were members in 1876 until 1886, more of this later. Whenever a match was played against Rossall School, the game had to be played by their rules, which was an adaptation of The Eton Field Game. It was played with teams of 11 players, Goalkeepers were used and the result was determined by goals scored by the ball passing underneath the crossbar of 11' x 8' goal posts. Games versus Brookhouse, which when played in Blackburn were to the Eton-Harrow rules. This was a mixture of Association and Rugger, a very rough game by all accounts. The club’s early games were played at Winckley Meadow, before, in 1871 a move to West Cliff was made. This was the home of the town’s Cricket Club (who 'Hoppers paid an annual rent of £4 for use of a pitch) as it remains today. A number of other clubs where in existence in the town including Preston Olympic, Preston Atheneum, Fishwick Ramblers, and Preston Rovers. A team called North End, who became the now famous Preston North End, played rugby and cricket during this era. Four figure crowds often witnessed home fixtures, especially against Manchester and Liverpool. The admission price was 6d at the West Cliff end and 3d to watch from the South Meadow Lane end, Ladies free! There was even a newspaper advert for special trains to transport spectators to the 'Hoppers away match versus Manchester in 1878. A Grasshopper's match at West Cliff in March 1878 against '20 of the Town' drew 3000 spectators. Such was the popularity of the game. Brace of tries by Cox beats the Hoppers In their final pre season match Hawks beat Preston Grasshoppers 34 18 at Lightfoot Green. Played in beautiful conditions Hawks scorers were--Nick Cox 2t,Sandy Warnock 1t,Matt Smith 1t,Murray Strang 1t 2c Stuart Low 1t It was good to see Nick Cox's parents Steve and Liz who had travelled up from Kenilworth to support and of course John and Chistine Maxto who had also travelled down to Preston Full match report to follow No team list has been added yet.

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