Bonus win for Hawks

Glasgow Hawks 24 Hawick 18

HAWKS
Tries: Steven (1), Boyer (7, 78), Adamson (61)
Con: Adamson (1, 61)
HAWICK
Tries: McLeod (23), Anderson (28)
Con: Hunter (28)
Pen: Hunter (16, 19)

Hawks registered their first win of the season against Hawick when they secured all 4 points with a late try which also gave them a bonus point.

The Glasgow side had opened well with Tom Steven recording the first try in 57 seconds after he took the ball when centre, Jack Steele, had kicked ahead. Mike Adamson converted and it wasn’t long before Hawks pulled further ahead. In 7 minutes, scrum-half Paddy Boyer took a ball from the base of the ruck to dart over the line carrying 3 green jerseys with him. A rare Adamson miss had the score at 12-0. Hawks appeared to be running away with it.

However, matches between these sides have been tight in recent years, no tighter than last when they were in a promotion dogfight. A couple of unforced errors gave Edinburgh pro, Gregor Hunter, two penalty shots which he stroked over before the quarter was up. The momentum had switched and Hunter was quick to take advantage. In 23 minutes he put in a left to right cross kick which had Scott McLeod chasing in a wing role he was more familiar with than where he was playing in the centre. Hunter missed with a difficult conversion attempt, but Hawick then pulled ahead as nothing could stop Greg Anderson’s 90 metre run after he intercepted a Hawks pass. This time Hunter was spot on and Hawick led 18-12. An injury to Hunter on the half hour saw Hawick lead at half-time.

The game lost its shape for large parts of the second half as both sides tried to kill the match. There was to be no score until an hour had passed. A defensive Hawick scrum saw the ball come back simply and slickly and it looked as if it would be battered into the stand when it was dropped. As the ball fell and bounced badly, Hawick’s midfield could only watch as Adamson nipped in sharply and stole the ball to dive over for the try. With Adamson converting Hawks had a 1 point lead.

As the game moved slowly toward the end it looked as if 1 point would have to do until Boyer secured a try bonus with the best score of the game. Ross Miller picked up from the base of the scrum 40 metres out and passed to Boyer. The scrum-half chipped ahead and ran after his own kick, gathering the ball before it bounced. Having successfully turned the defence he ran in for the try, which Adamson goaled.

Bruce Campbell received a red card for an alleged stamp, but both coaches agreed this seemed overly harsh.