Date: Saturday, 25th February 2006
Kickoff time: 14:00
Against: Boroughmuir
Team: Hawks 1st XV
Location: Away
Competition: Premiership Division 1
Final score: 24 - 19 (won)

Hawks soar to three-in-a-row after Capital thriller SANDY STRANG AT ANNIESLAND BOROUGHMUIR 19 GLASGOW HAWKS 24 ALL hail, ye Hawks! The victory champagne flowed last night as resilient Hawks secured their third successive Premiership One title at wind-swept Meggetland in a pulsating seven-try encounter which went right down to the wire. With only 10 minutes remaining, Hawks were still trailing before two late tries cemented a thrilling win and brought yet another title back to Glasgow. Hawks coach Davie Wilson was understandably exultant. "Having conceded 14 easy points, we were seriously up against it, but full credit to the players for showing their character and resolve in that last backs-to-the-walls 20 minutes," he said. "To win three championships in an area of Scotland which is renowned for its football is particularly special, and I'm thankful to Brian Simmers and John Roxburgh for giving me the opportunity to work with such a special set of players. "Hopefully we can build on this for next season, but meanwhile we'll enjoy the night." Success is especially sweet for Wilson in his first season since switching from GHA. Restoring belief and performance to a latterly stuttering squad was no mean managerial achievement for Wilson. Beleaguered Boroughmuir, haunted by the spectre of relegation, gave as good as they got against the heavier Hawks pack in the opening exchanges, but it was Hawks who assuaged their own title nerves after 10 minutes, prop Peter Dalton driving over after a Mark Sitch surge was held up just short of the line. Full back Mike Adamson slotted the conversion for 7-0. Undaunted, Muir fought back and reduced the leeway after 18 minutes. A fine move all along the line released winger Rory Couper to touch down in the left corner. And Cooper was again the hero in 27 minutes as Muir, reduced to 14 men with the rightful sin-binning of Ross Cook for a horribly high challenge on breaking Ian Monaghan, dramatically snatched the lead. A scintillating dash down the left past a flat-footed Scott Forrest, substituting on the right wing, released scrum half Calum Cusiter to score, O'Reilly converting for 12-7. Then, even more remarkably, further midfield slackness from Hawks saw centre Malcolm Clapperton break free unattended to race 30 metres and touch down under the posts, O'Reilly again converting for 19-7. Bemused Hawks retired for their half-time cuppa to the accompaniment of sarcastic cries of "easy" from a section of the delighted Meggetland faithful. Hawks hitherto lacklustre showing was epitomised immediately on the re-start when stand-off Murray Strang passed up a straightforward chance to reduce arrears with a horribly skewed penalty from 20 metres. Hawks, though, grabbed a lifeline in 52 minutes when left winger Stuart Smith nipped in at the corner after sustained pressure on the home line, which also saw lock Graeme McCallum sin-binned for deliberate offside after a sequence of penalties. Boroughmuir were to regret lost opportunities, as with only nine minutes left, a surging midfield run from replacement prop Gavin Mories eventually released Ally Maclay to dart diagonally through and touch down for 19-17. With only five minutes left, Hawks eventually snatched the lead as a tiring Muir allowed winger Ricky Munday to crash through on the right, Monaghan converting excellently for 24-19. Valiant Muir spent the last four minutes encamped on the Hawks line but could not break through, and victory and the championship remained with Glasgow. Muir coach Grant Wilson remained upbeat. "Full marks to our guys who played with so much commitment and guts," he said. "We certainly fronted up again against Hawks today as we did in the previous game, and it's so galling to have nothing to show for it after such a gallant effort. However, if we can carry that level of performance into our two remaining games against Heriot's and Hawick, we can win them and ensure our survival in Premiership One." Only a callous neutral could not accord with Wilson's heartfelt summation. Boroughmuir: R Cook; C Keenan, M Clapperton, S Ruddick, R Couper; T O'Reilly, C Cusiter; F Lait (R Matheson 77), J Cox (K Traynor 46), D Wright, E Matheson (S Waddell 60), G McCallum (50-60), P Knight, A Martyn, B Fisher. Glasgow Hawks: M Adamson (S Low 19); R Munday, A Maclay, S Duffy, S Smith; M Strang (S Forrest 27-32, 54), I Monaghan; E Milligan (G Mories 57), S Fell, P Dalton, S Warnock (S Begley 62), R Maxton, G Francis, N McKenzie, M Sitch. Referee: Ted Coutts (Watsonians) Scorers: Boroughmuir - Tries: Cooper, Cusiter, Clapperton. Cons: O'Reilly (2). Glasgow Hawks - Tries: Dalton, Smith, Maclay, Munday. Cons: Adamson, Monaghan. No team list has been added yet.

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