Date: Saturday, 28th August 2004
Kickoff time: 15:00
Against: Melrose
Team: Hawks 1st XV
Location: Away
Competition: Premiership Division 1
Final score: 25 - 32 (lost)

Hawks went down 25-32 to Melrose at the Greenyards this afternoon.Hawks points came from Steve Begley 2t,Greg Francis 1t and the rest from the boot of Mike Adamson. Iain Morrison reprts in Scotland on Sunday Melrose teach Hawks lesson from the start IAIN MORRISON AT THE GREENYARDS MELROSE 32 GLASGOW HAWKS 25 THIS paper’s club preview last weekend brought an angry response from Craig Chalmers since the former Scottish fly-half pointed out that he was not the head coach but rather shared the duties equally with Bryan Easson and Andy Henderson. Apologies to all concerned, but after the gusty performance his side put in yesterday afternoon Chalmers might not be so willing to share the credit. Melrose won this cracking encounter, but only after the match had see-sawed both ways until a 70th-minute try from Graham Dodds settled things. The Melrose lock started a move deep in his own half and finished it 60 yards later, crashing over for the vital score. The match offered something for everyone including seven tries, some bone-crunching tackles and both his first ever yellow card and a masterclass in tactical kicking from the man who last played here five years ago, Chalmers himself. It was his touchfinders that kept Hawks at bay when they were rampant in the second half and well though his opposite number Michael Adamson played, the youngster needs to vary his attacking option a little more. The visitors had the better of the opening minutes setting up camp deep inside Melrose territory and coming away with an Adamson penalty for their trouble. It was completely against the run of play when Melrose scored the first try through veteran lock Scott Aitken on ten minutes. New Kiwi signing Karne Kaufana had threatened almost every time he got his hands on the ball and sure enough the inside centre beat his man to set up a ridiculously easy pick and dive for Aitken. Fifteen minutes later Kaufana went one better and touched down himself. Despite being double-teamed by two defenders the new boy broke clear to score under the sticks. Just two minutes later and Melrose grabbed what will surely be a contender for try of the season despite coming on the very first weekend. Kaufana, who else, made the initial break on his own 22 line before finding flanker Jamie Murray, who made good ground and then passed to his centre namesake. The second Jamie Murray in the move stepped inside the remaining defenders before winger Geoff Caldwell made the final run under the posts. Melrose found themselves 24-6 up with barely 25 minutes gone. Chalmers then had a hand in events although this one was wrapped around a Hawks’ neck, the fly-half was sent to the sin bin and while he couldn’t really complain about the decision, that didn’t stop him. But in reality the referee should have brandished his yellow far sooner because the game was ruined by players slowing down the ball at the breakdown. Both sides were guilty, but the home side perhaps more so, as time and again the referee failed to acknowledge that a ruck had formed and let the spoiling tactics go unpunished. Hawks eventually made the extra man count as twice the big lock Steve Begley muscled his way over the line although, in fairness, his second try came just seconds after Chalmers had returned to the fray. Scott Ruthven had grabbed one penalty during his substitute appearance at fly-half but the half ended with a Chalmers’ penalty hitting the posts to leave the Border side with a precious 27-17 lead at the break. The first score of the second half was going to be vital and it went to Hawks after a long period of pressure. Kenny Sinclair spent two years with Glasgow Rugby and he proved he hadn’t wasted his time with a superb pass under pressure that Stevie Swindall picked off his toes to give Neil Francis the all-important score. Adamson’s conversion brought the visitors’ deficit down to two points but that was the end of Hawks’ brave fightback despite some areas of excellence and Swindall dominating the second half as Kaufana had done in the first. The breakaway has not always shown an appetite for hard work, but he is training regularly with the Glasgow pro-team these days and it seems to be making a difference in the youngster, who ground out those vital yards with the ball in hand and made some big hits when the rest of his team appeared to view tackling as an optional extra. But for all his efforts the visitors were unable to translate possession into points. Hawks had a straightforward penalty that they opted to kick into the corner, a mistake given the two-point deficit. Mark Sitch dropped the ball over the Melrose line while in the act of scoring, Sinclair darted over only to be brought back by the referee and numerous other attacks broke up on a Melrose defence that visibly grew in confidence as the clock counted down. Hawks were left to rue all those scoring opportunities when Dodds’ late try hammered the last nail in their coffin. It was just about the only time that Melrose entered their opponents’ territory in the whole of the final quarter. Hawks didn’t lose a match until the final game of the last season, a record they have managed to equal off just one outing this season. There will be more than one horse in the title race this year. Melrose: J Murphy; G Caldwell, J Murray, K Kaufana, M Robertson; C Chalmers, S Shiel; R Higgins, W Mitchell, I Cornwall, G Dodds (R Miller, 75), S Aitken (A Clark, 60), S Johnson, J Murray, C Sutherland. Glasgow Hawks: S Low; W Henry, A Maclay (R Munday, 75), R Munday (C Shaw, 57), C Shaw (K Sinclair, 43); M Adamson, R McKnight; E Milligan, F Thomson, G Mories (R Gillies, 55), S Begley (G Perret, 55), R Maxton, M Stitch (S Forrest, 60), G Francis, S Forrest (S Swindall, 28). Referee: Alan Williamson (Hawick). No team list has been added yet.

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