Hawks overcome illness to put Stew-Mel to the sword

JAMES STABLES
AT OLD ANNIESLAND


GLASGOW HAWKS 61 - 11 STEWART'S MELVILLE

GLASGOW Hawks were in ruthless form on Saturday despite illness disrupting the build up to this match. It didn't seem to have an adverse affect as the 50-point margin left Stewart's-Melville shell-shocked.


Hawks head coach Davie Wilson revealed after the final whistle that his preparations had been severely curtailed by a flu bug which had swept through the squad.

"We could only train for 40 minutes on Thursday night because so many guys were under the weather," he said. "I'm just glad we got through the game in the way that we did.

"We showed that we are capable of playing high quality rugby, controlling the game, making good off-loads and good decision-making.

"We're still tweaking things and looking to go forward, but I'm realistic enough to know that we've still got a long way to go.

"Sometimes people don't understand how many players we lost to the pro sides during the summer. It's taken a while for the side to gel. There are also eight players who are not available at the moment due to illness and injury."

Visiting coach Grant McKenzie conceded: "We missed tackles and couldn't keep hold of the ball at crucial times."

The champions' ten-try haul included four from winger Stevie Gordon, while skipper Mark Sitch contributed a double along with the other wing, Stuart Low.

Stand-off Mike Adamson and prop Gordon Macfadyen also got in on the act with a try each. Adamson added an additional three penalties as the Edinburgh side collapsed under the strain of Hawks' powerful pack and precision finishing out wide.

Hawks' bonus point arrived inside 35 minutes after Gordon, Sitch, Adamson - who scored following a 75-metre interception - and Low all crossed the line.

Stew-Mel clung on grimly through two penalties from winger Sam Hendry, but after the break it was one-way traffic as Hawks scored three decisive tries within the first ten minutes of the restart.

The Edinburgh side managed a consolation try through skipper Paul Wharakura, but further tries from Low, Sitch and Gordon took Hawks past the half-century mark and brought an impressive display by the hosts to an end, while completing a thoroughly miserable afternoon for the visitors.

Scorers: Glasgow Hawks: Tries: Gordon 4, Sitch 2, Low 2, Adamson, Macfadyen. Cons: Strang, Adamson 3. Pens: Adamson. Stewart's-Melville: Try: Wharakura. Pens: Hendry 2.

Glasgow Hawks: M Adamson; S Low, A Maclay, S Duffy, S Gordon, M Strang, R McKnight; E Milligan, S Fell, G McFadyen, R Maxton, S Warnock, M Sitch, S Forrest, N McKenzie. Subs used: S Biggart, M Stevens, M Smith, S Tourde.

Stewart's-Melville: N Wood, D McColl, A Easson, C Joiner, S Hendry; G Shiel, E Clark; P Wharakura, S McMurchy, S De Beer, B Leathes, A Clark, S Dalgleish, S Lawrie, A Fraser. Subs used: R Borthwick, E Patterson, G Lind, A Edmondstone.

Referee: G Hannah.

This article was posted on 7-Nov-2005, 12:09 by Hugh Barrow.