Date: Saturday, 12th November 2005
Kickoff time: 14:00
Against: Melrose
Team: Hawks 1st XV
Location: Home
Competition: Premiership Division 1
Final score: 27 - 13 (won)

SANDY STRANG AT ANNIESLAND GLASGOW HAWKS 27 MELROSE 13 "JUST another Saturday," joked Hawks head coach David Wilson, utterly tongue-in-cheek. His Hawks, having been totally in control for the majority of the match, had just stretched their unbeaten run to 12 games - but only after a late fright as doughty Melrose threatened to snatch an unlikely draw deep into injury time. "It's a cup final for us every time we turn out," emphasised Wilson. "Sides are raising their game every week, and that's a monkey on our backs. They tackled us very effectively, and made us work really hard for our scores. It won't be the end of the world if we lose, but it's still wholly in our own hands to keep this run going." Hawks, justifiably confident on the back of 61 points and ten tries last week against beleaguered basement boys Stew-Mel to take their remarkable run to 11 successive victories and a 14-point gap over nearest rivals Watsonians, grabbed the initiative from the outset. Prolific Mike Adamson slotted an eighth-minute penalty after a bulldozing run from England U-21 prop Nick Cox, starting in place of captain Eric Milligan. The Greenyards men, though, deeply frustrated by last week's narrow defeat to second-placed Watsonians, welcomed back James King at full-back, Cammy Murray in the centre, and Geoff Caldwell on the right wing. Coach Craig Chalmers had reiterated the worn mantra of most travellers to Anniesland, arriving more in vague hope than genuine expectation, claiming they had nothing to lose. And they restored parity almost instantly when full-back James King slotted an almost identical effort from 30 metres after a fracas up front. Despite enjoying massive territorial advantage, entrenched Hawks were unable to breach a magnificently doughty Melrose defence until just five minutes before half-time when Adamson notched his second penalty from 15 metres. It was fully three minutes into first-half injury time, though, before centre Steven Duffy put a better reflection on the balance of play, bursting through to touch down under the posts. Adamson converted to establish a comfortable 13-3 interval lead for the Anniesland men. At half-time, Melrose brought on Andrew Gillie and Stuart Johnson up front, but the changes did little to stem the relentless one-way Hawks traffic as rampaging prop Milligan, on as a replacement, almost forced his way over. Credit to Melrose, though, when on the hour mark - and wholly against the run of play - centre Karne Kaufana made a sudden, 40-metre, lung-bursting break through a strangely lax Hawks defence to touch down on the right. Scott Ruthven converted to pull the differential remarkably back to 13-10. This shock stung the Glasgow men back to action, and after a dazzling, mazy, diagonal run from livewire winger Steve Gordon, the ball was recycled for number eight Mark Sitch to plough over in the opposite right corner. Adamson converted splendidly from the touchline to make it 20-10 on 68 minutes. With only five minutes remaining, Hawks skipper Milligan was yellow-carded for infringing at a penalty, and Melrose took full advantage to launch a belated offensive. Ruthven slotted his second penalty to reduce the score to 20-13. A full nine minutes of injury time had elapsed when Mike Adamson finally settled the Hawks' late nerves when he broke away to touch down under the posts to deny Melrose even the bonus point which none would have begrudged them for their commitment. Adamson himself converted for 27-13 right on the whistle. "I really felt we deserved to take something from this game," reflected a rueful Chalmers. "I hate to lose, but I can't fault the guys' effort, and maybe we can take this level of passion and desire into the remainder of our season." Glasgow Hawks: M Strang; S Low, A Maclay, S Duffy, S Gordon; M Adamson, R McKnight; N Cox, S Fell, G McFadyen, S Warnock, R Maxton, S Forrest, M Sitch (capt), N McKenzie. Subs used: M Smith, E Milligan, N Caddell, I Kennedy. Melrose: J King; G Caldwell, C Murray(capt), K Kaufana, M Robertson; S Ruthven, G Thomson; I Cornwall, G Innes, R Higgins, J Bradburn, S Aitken, J Dalziel, M de Frank, R Miller. Subs: W Mitchell, A Gillie, S Johnson, D Whiteford. Referee: J Steele (Dumfries) Scorers: Hawks - Tries: Duffy, Sitch, Adamson. Cons: Adamson (3) Pens: Adamson (2). Melrose: Tries: Kaufana; Cons: Ruthven; Pens: King, Ruthven. No team list has been added yet.

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