THE SCOTSMAN REPORTED
GORDON ALEXANDER AT OLD ANNIESLAND
Glasgow Hawks 10
Ayr 13

THE spotlight was again on referee Paul Burr in the wake of Ayr's first ever top-flight success at Old Anniesland.

A week earlier, Burr had been roundly criticised for his card-happy display in the match between Hawick and Dundee HSFP. This time, it was his lofty penalty-count which attracted the bulk of the negative observations from rival coaches Davie Wilson and Craig Redpath.

Wilson of Hawks said: "The referee was spoiling the game. He penalised us for collapsing the scrum when he was on the opposite side and couldn't see what was going on.

"He simply had no idea what was going on at the breakdown."

Despite the win, a frustrated Redpath added: "The penalties count could have killed us. In the previous two outings we have given away fewer than 10 in each game. In this match he penalised us nine times in the first half alone."

Ayr surged into a 10-0 interval lead, thanks to a try by Andy Wilson, converted by Diffenthal, who also slotted a penalty. Hawks drew level with a Steve Gordon touchdown and two strikes - the conversion plus a penalty later in the second period - by Mike Adamson.

However, Diffenthal's second penalty proved to be the clincher and rewarded the resilient visitors.

Scorers: Glasgow Hawks: Try: Gordon. Con: Adamson. Pen: Adamson. Ayr: Try: Wilson. Con: Diffenthal. Pens: Diffenthal 2.

Glasgow Hawks: M Adamson; S Gordon, C Bruce, SSmith, S Murray; I Noble, K Sinclair; G Strain, M Smith, GMcFadyen, A Dale, J Clements, R Hamilton, J Fitzpatrick, M Sitch. Subs used: R Jackson, G Mories, D MacLeod, G Francis, A Maclay.

Ayr: G Anderson; A Wilson, J Montoro, B Fournial, F Marin; K Diffenthal, C Taylor; G Reid, S Fenwick, E Logan, S Lines, DKelly, A Dunlop, S Forrest, G Tippet. Subs used: RMcCallum, S Sutherland.

Referee: P Burr.

This article was posted on 15-Nov-2007, 08:09 by Hugh Barrow.