THE SCOTSMAN

Mather hails side's grit
GORDON ALEXANDER AT OLD ANNIESLAND
Glasgow Hawks 31

Watsonians 41

WATSONIANS coach Cammy Mather was left wondering if his side should operate with 14 men from now on after Jeff Nicolson's sin-binning proved the inspiration in their success over Glasgow Hawks.

The turning point at Old Anniesland came when substitute Nicolson was yellow-carded for retaliation late in the first half. Yet in his absence, the Myreside troops rattled up 13 unanswered points to take a stranglehold on the encounter.

Mather grinned: "To respond like that when you have lost a man for ten minutes at an important time just underlined the character of this squad.

"After two defeats on the trot, a bonus point win against a side like Hawks was a tremendous result."

Frustrated Hawks coach Davie Wilson reckoned his injury-ravaged outfit never really recovered from handing Mike Ker an early 80-metre interception try. He said: "We seem so careless in looking after the ball, turning it over with no real fight.

"The only route to confidence is winning, but the side have no attitude. They have to put their bodies on the line. I've been at Hawks for 10 years in good and not so good sides - but to play here always required guts."

Scorers: Glasgow Hawks: Tries: Sinclair, Murray, Mories, Adamson. Con: Adamson. Pens: Adamson (3).

Watsonians: Tries: Ker, Steyl, Mailo, Rowe. Cons: Skeen (3). Pens: Skeen (5).

Glasgow Hawks: R Jackson; S Low, S Gordon, RMunday, S Murray; M Adamson, K Sinclair; G Strain, JMaclay, G Mories, R Gray, A Kelly, G Francis, N Caddell, AMaclay. Subs used: G Macfadyen, D Malcolm, S Kidd, INoble, S Biggart.

Watsonians: A Skeen; A Rowe, D Brown, M Mailo, RSteyl; M Ker, S Stumbles; K Traynor, G Scott, TCallander, A Wright, W Lipp, W Rowley, G Pelter. Subs used: N Malloy, E Howe, J Abraham, B Mousa, JNicholson,

Referee: G Garner.

This article was posted on 15-Oct-2007, 14:55 by Hugh Barrow.