Stirling County 23 Glasgow Hawks 20

County
Tries​Hughes (29), McFarlane (57), Addison (63)
Con​Archibald (29)
Pen ​Archibald (18, 38)
Hawks
Tries​Adamson (21) McPherson (80)
Con ​Adamson (21, 80)
Pen​Adamson (7, 60)

Stirling County stopped their own rot as they beat Glasgow Hawks by 3 points at Bridgehaugh. The home side had lost two in a row and felt that they needed a win to stop themselves being anchored near the bottom of the table. Hawks were seeking their first away win.
The game opened fiercely as both sides went at it straight from the kick off and there was much between them in the first quarter with first Mike Adamson putting a penalty over in 7 minutes which was matched by Brian Archibald in 18.
Hawks opened the try scoring at the beginning of the second 20 minutes after County’s Matt Larsen had received a yellow. The visitors were awarded a penalty on the 5 metre line when the ever alert Adamson tapped it quickly and darted over before he could be stopped, he converted himself.
It wasn’t long before County tied the game. The home side broke down the left wing as Archibald put a pass to Rory Hughes who evaded a tackle and ran in from outside the 22. With Archibald converting the game was tied in 29 minutes. Just before half time Archibald secured the lead for the first time with a penalty.
The early part of the first half left little to talk about until County rumbled over from short yards at a lineout with AJ McFarlane securing the try. An Adamson penalty from the restart narrowed the gap to 5 points but County were in no mood to stop here.
Not long after Hawks had narrowed the gap, there was a brilliant break in 63 minutes by the Argentinian professional Gabriel Ascarte. The ball was recycled and Stuart Edwards combined with Archibald who passed to Ascarte. The Argentinian invited a tackle before releasing Ben Addison who was over for the try.
Hawks were now 10 points behind and they spent much of the last 10 minutes in the County half. It fell to McPherson for a third week in a row to get a late score to secure a bonus point, but in the end the glory was County’s as Hawks were left to rue another “so nearly”.

This article was posted on 21-Sep-2013, 18:22 by Hugh Barrow.