Glasgow Hawks 18 Melrose 26

Hawks
Tries​Nakawara 32, Hamilton 80
Con​Smart 80
Pen​Steele 10, Wight 65
Rose
Tries ​Eccles 56, Dodds 76
Co​Helps 56, 76
Pen​Helps 40, 42, 48, 63

Glasgow hawks fell to earth as Melrose left with Old Anniesland with 4 points and even denied the home side the consolation of a losing bonus point. It isn’t that often that any team in the league has beaten hawks by more than the smallest of margins, but in truth Rose were well worth their win.
Again Hawks started the game well, but frequently found themselves in trouble given away cheap turnover ball. Rose applied a great deal of pressure but were unable to turn it into points.
Hawks took the lead in 10 minutes when jack Steele put a penalty over. It was another 20 minutes before either side did any real harm when Leone Nakawara went over for his second Hawks’ try in his 2nd appearance. With the score at 8-0, Melrose did not trouble the score keeper until Helps scored his first penalty on the stroke of half-time.
Rose came out in the 2nd half and showed exactly why they are challenging for a British and Irish Cup place. Helps helped himself to a couple of penalties in the 42nd and 47th minutes giving the visitors a lead they were not to relinquish.
When Rose flanker, Peter Eccles went over for a try just before the hour it was no more than they deserved. Theye had a clear lead and Hawks struggled to keep in touch. The Borderers pulled further ahead in 63 minutes and even a bonus became a difficult goal for the Glasgow side.
Scott narrowed the gap to 8 once more a couple of minutes later. But hawks chances of a bonus point ended with five minutes to go as Graham Dodds scored under the posts for Melrose.
The home side narrowed the gap in injury time but it was too little too late and it was “nul point” for the Hawks.

This article was posted on 16-Nov-2013, 20:45 by Hugh Barrow.