SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY REPORTS
Boroughmuir go try crazy


BOROUGHMUIR 51

GLAS HAWKS 21

RESURGENT Boroughmuir crushed the challenge of faltering champions Hawks in a scintillating display of intelligent, running rugby which thrilled a healthy New Meggetland crowd.

A breathtaking first half produced 43 points, six tries - five within the first half-an-hour - and a lead exchanged four times in an exhilarating see-saw encounter. Hawks, galvanised by last week's morale-boosting defeat of Dundee HSFP where a 25-point first half suggested they were back to their imperious best, were first to draw blood as flanker John Fitzpatrick ran fully 40 metres virtually unchallenged through a retreating 'Muir defence in only three minutes.

But 'Muir, buoyed up by last week's win at Fortress Millbrae, stunned the visitors with a magnificent three-try reply in a mere six minutes to establish a 19-7 lead with only a quarter of the game gone. First superb forwards handling led to hooker Dave Cunningham driving over after flanker Joni Hare was held up on the line. Then lively stand-off Greg Cotterell grabbed an opportunist brace, the first after an electrifying burst from Rory Couper, followed by a brilliant chargedown of Mike Adamson's clearance.

Credit to Hawks, though, for an initial fightback worthy of champions as a Greg Francis burst allowed Fitzpatrick to notch his second try on the half-hour, before Francis himself drove over following a strong forward push to restore the Glasgow men's lead at 19-21. Cook's penalty, however, put 'Muir in at the interval leading 21-22.

The second half was virtually one-way traffic as beleaguered Hawks desperately endeavoured to stem the green flood but to no avail. Redoubtable 'Muir racked up a further 29 points without reply. Hawks have lost most of their dominant forwards from last year and their inexperienced pack had no answer to the rampaging home forwards. Clapperton and Martin twice brought the home try total to seven.

Pick of the bunch was Martin's second on 74 minutes after a flying Couper had raced fully 80 metres up the left flank leavinga trail of faltering defenders.

It was a bad day at the office for the Glasgow outfit but a fine one for the home side.

Boroughmuir: R Cook; S Ruddick, M Clapperton, E O'Donnell, R Couper, G Cotterell, A Knight (rep: S McGhee, 66), J Malakoty (N Drapper, 40), D Cunningham, C Ward (F Lait, 45), E Matheson, G McCallum, J Hare (S Hollywood, 66), A Martyn.

Glasgow: M Adamson; S Low, G MacDonald, S Smith, S Biggart, M Strang, K Sinclair, N Cox, J Maclay (D Malcolm, 52), R McCallum (G Mories, 52), A Dale, S Warnock, G Francis, J Fitzpatrick, E Smith.

This article was posted on 1-Oct-2006, 07:37 by Hugh Barrow.