Steven’s hat-trick continues Hawks’ fine start to the season: Glasgow Hawks 38 – 9 Kelso
Posted on September 8, 20120

The sun was shining, albeit begrudgingly, as dull September clouds dominated the sky over Old Anniesland on Saturday, much akin to the way Glasgow Hawks did over Kelso to continue their fine start to the RBS National League. The 38-9 victory guaranteed their second bonus point in as many matches, whilst Kelso became the latest team to fail to score a try against a young but defiant Hawks defence.
Hawks went into the fixture on good form. The weekend’s before 45-6 dismantling of Biggar away from home continued their unbeaten start to the season, and provided a bonus point too. Yet the Hawks in the early stages were relatively sloppy, trailing for the first fifteen minutes to Murray Hastie penalty for the visitors. It arguably should’ve been 6-0 had it not been for Hastie striking the right post with a penalty in the opening minutes. Kelso were forced into an early substitution, Duncan Seed being replaced by Kieran Flannigan. The forced change for Kelso broke their early momentum, and gave Glasgow the opportunity to find theirs. Two minutes after the change in personnel, the Hawks had overturned the deficit. Quick hands from David Milne released Grant Strang to bypass the visitors defence for the try, although Mike Adamson will be disappointed by his failed conversion.
Much in the way that Hawks were revitalised by trailing, Kelso upped their game following Strang’s try. Pressure from the visitors resulted in the resumption of the lead after another Hastie penalty, yet Kelso will be wishing their capitalised further during their good spell. Darting runs by Frankie Robson and William Massey were encouraging but fruitless.
At this stage, the prospect of the Hawks earning a second bonus point in as many weeks seemed unlikely. The home side were suffering from the same lack of fluidity that hindered the Glasgow Warriors against Scarlets the night before. With ten minutes to go in the Hawks fortuned changed for the better, thanks to an inspired pirouette from captain Ross Miller at the half way line. The turn to break free from the tackle created space to run for Andy White, who played a delicate pass to Tom Steven for the first of his three tries in the afternoon. The timing of his second try, two minutes before half-time, was fundamental in victory being so convincing, as he benefitted from Callum Kerr’s fine play to cross the try line. Mike Adamson’s two conversions for the two tries late in the first half gave Hawks a 19-6 lead at half time.
The doubts that plagued the Hawks early in the first half were eradicated by the time the teams had switched halves. Despite an early penalty conversion by Hastie to reduce the deficit by ten, it proved to be the last score of the day for the visitors. Three minutes after Hastie’s penalty, Man of the Match Strang scored his second try, ensuring in the process that the Hawks earned the elusive bonus point.
Minutes later, Strang was replaced by Haddon McPherson. Yet the change in personnel and a guaranteed bonus point did not mean an end to the afternoon’s entertaining. McPherson capitalised on a failed clearance on the half way line, leaving him with the entire Kelso half to wonder home under the posts. With two minutes left Steven completed his hat trick, crossing the try-line at the far left corner after an initial fumble, making the full-time score a resounding 38-9 win for the Hawks.
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Glasgow Hawks: Adamson, Herron, Martin, Milne, Steven, White, Yacoubian, Findlay, Kerr, Lohar, Wilson, McKay, Strang, Oommen, Miller (c)
Subs: McFarlane, Barnes, Redmayne, Preece, McPherson
Tries: Steven x3
Strang x2
McPherson
Conversions: Adamson (4/6)
Kelso: Massey, Robson, R. Minto, Buckley, G. Minto, Hastie, Tait, Grahamslaw, Riddell (c), Lowrie, Wallace, Seed, Robertson, Stewart, Gillespie
Subs: Glendenning, Maxwell, Flannigan, Pick
Penalties: Hastie x3
David Child

This article was posted on 9-Sep-2012, 15:49 by Hugh Barrow.