Glasgow Hawks 24 Edinburgh Accies 8

Hawks
Tries​Nakawara 38, Hamilton 78
Con​Adamson 78
Pen​Adamson​20, 31, 42, 59
Edinburgh Accies
Tries​Godsmark 26
Pen​Bonner 3

Glasgow Hawks avenged their opening day defeat against Edinburgh Accies as the second half of their league campaign began at Old Anniesland. There was no respite for Accies as they resumed league business after two heavy defeats in the British and Irish Cup. The trip to Glasgow offered no respite as Hawks dominated in the wet conditions especially in the second period.
Accies started well enough with a try in the 26th minute after Ruairidh Bonner and Mike Adamson had exchanged penalties in the first quarter. Nyle Godsmark’s try was all that separated the sides and although Hawks’ pack were playing well they had offered little threat.
Adamson narrowed the gap with another penalty, when Leone Nakawara came on, it was if the sun had been blocked out. He made a couple of early runs and carried players around his waist as they tried to pull him down. Time and again their efforts were treated with disdain as he offloaded the ball with ease.
The Hawks were attacking the hockey end and the ball spun wide Haddon McPherson broke and it was Nakawara who appeared on his shoulder, to stroll over for his first try on Scottish soil.
The second half saw Hawks dominate the play and froze Accies out of the match, the visiting backline was starved of the possession their style required. Adamson, returning to the form of 10 years ago, kept the clock ticking over and punished Accies twice more as the hour mark arrived.
Hawks gave Accies little hope but the saved the best score until the closing moments. Robert Beattie broke free into the visitors 22 and was unlucky to be hauled down short of the line when Gus Hamilton, the first of a group of following forwards took the ball and went over for the score killing the tie dead in the final minutes.
Hawks are confident that this is the platform for a second half assault on the league title. Certainly for those who had seen the narrow, naïve lss in Raeburn Place this was a for more mature and controlled performance from Hawks.

This article was posted on 26-Oct-2013, 16:45 by Hugh Barrow.