Gala 31 Glasgow Hawks 33
Gala
Tries​Dods 4, 23, Palepoi 32, O’Hagan 43
Con​O’Hagan 4, 23, 32, 43​
Pen​O’Hagan 14
Hawks
Tries​Lowe 12, McPherson 18, Smart 26, Bartoszek 50
Con ​Steele 12, 18
Pen​Steele​57, 62, 80

Glasgow Hawks played the role of ungrateful guests at Netherdale to perfection today as they knocked Gala out of the Scottish Cup securing a spot against Heriots in the Final in April.
8 days ago Gala stood on the brink of glory as they went into two matches which could have secured a Championship and a Cup Final place. Instead they have the consolation of a place in the B&I Cup but no silverware to show for their efforts.
Hawks have secured a cup final date in the season that saw their return to the top flight.
There was a fair degree of trepidation amongst the Glasgow support as they travelled to Galashiels. The last visit on Saint Andrew’s Day, saw them lose having led by 14-3 after Gala put on 26 unanswered points and left the visitors well beaten.
Indeed, it looked as if there was to be more of the same as the early play saw Gala number 8, Euan Dods, went over in 4 minutes for the opening score which was converted by David O’Hagan.
Gala were rampant and when Gavin Lowe broke, running fully 50 metres for the tying score it was very much against the run of play, Jack Steele was on target for the conversion (More of him later).
An O’Hagan penalty in quarter of an hour seemed scant reward for the pressure they had. This was suitably punished by Hawks’ Haddon McPherson in 18 minutes. The wing exhibited superb pace to chase a speculative but well weighted kick and although the referee hesitated his touch-judge gave a vigorous nod of the head to show that McPherson had been the winner, with Steele converting Hawks were ahead by 4.
The lead was short lived as Gala pressed again. They eventually found themselves with an attacking scrum in the corner at the football ground end. Then something happened which has rarely if ever been seen this season, the Hawks pack were pushed backward allowing Dods to drop on the ball for his second try. Again O’Hagan converted and Gala were back ahead.
Gala were to struggle further , they had no answer in the backs when Hawks took the ball to them and Hawks took a narrow two point lead when Dan Smart went over in the 26th minute in a match which was bringing the crowd to the edge of their seats.
Hawks fortunes took a real blow in 32 minutes when captain Andy Linton, was sent to the sin-bin and it seemed that the referee was correct here, bit it seemed strange that he didn’t take one of his Gala hosts with him for company.
From the penalty Gala put the ball into touch and from the lineout they caught and drove the ball before veteran Lock, Opeta Palepoi flopped, athletically, over the line for the score, again converted by O’Hagan.
There was a worry that the flood gates would open but that was not allowing for the defence. Everyone deserves a mention but Steele and Ally Maclay were fierce in the mid-field and Paddy Boyer was like “un chien terrier” around the fringes.
Linton returned moments into the secon half but Gala were quick to add to their advantage. As they pressed Hawks. After a number of recycles, Dods put O’Hagan in for they try which he then converted, the lead was now, 12 points and in such a tight contest seemed to offer Hawks little chance of recovery.
Even in 50 minutes when Matesz Bartoszek went over for went over following a lineout and a bit of “pick and go”, the lead stayed stubbornly at 7 points.
Then the Hawks rose to the occasion. In 57 minutes the pack put a squeeze on Gala’s pack to devastating effect, the home forwards conceded a penalty on their own 10 metre line which Steele slotted over. Kick-off happened, hawks received and ground themselves into gala’s half. In an almost identical position Hawks were awarded a scrum and, in almost identical fashion, they put the Gala pack under tremendous pressure. The, in almost identical circumstances, Steele slotted over the penalty to make the score 31-30.
With 20 minutes to go both sides threatened to score and indeed with a few minutes to full-time O’Hagan surprisingly missed a shot at goal.
The Netherdale clock struck 43 minutes when Hawks started to work their way from their own 22 following O’Hagan’s miss.
Hawks were awarded a penalty in side their own half, which Boyer tapped and ran with in a sharp heads up play. Then, “with a fine disregard for the rules of the game”, Gala could not resist tackling him before they had retreated. Another penalty 2 metre inside Gala’s half. Steele stepped up, placed the tee on the pitch and then angled the ball. He stepped back, two pace,s and then kicked the leather off the pill launching toward the goal and glory. Hawks were in the Final, for the first time since 2007.
Nobody knows if that ball has landed yet…

This article was posted on 29-Mar-2014, 22:08 by Hugh Barrow.