Hawks 2’s versus Biggar 26/1/08




Another Saturday, another late call-off to deal with. This time it was to be Bundy’s illness which resulted in Ali Dale being called up. However with the Accies’ game being off we were able to get Matteo Giovannazi to come along and make the squad up to 19 and this week with a split of 2 forwards and 2 backs.




Lots of rain the day before meant there was some doubt about the exact venue for the game but Robert Cheape gave us the use of the main pitch at New Anniesland which definitely cheered up Sean Murray!!




With some of the Biggar players being delayed we kicked off 5 minutes late and the rain arrived almost on schedule, albeit mainly of the drizzle variety. With Hawks playing against the elements in the 1st half we intended playing a fairly conservative game plan early on. However the backs were determined to make the most of their superior skills and, surprisingly, the amount of ball they had. This was not being supplied by the forwards, who were having their customary teething problems, but by the benevolence of the opposition who kept on coughing up ball or kicking it back to our ever eager back 3.




Chris Bruce, playing at 12 for a change, was the first to benefit, running back ball and weaving and stepping his way in for a try after 10 minutes. Sean Murray scored the second 8 minutes later after some fine hands and good support play and after 18 minutes Hawks were 12-0 ahead.




There then followed a spell where neither team could dominate and it wasn’t until the 31st minute that Jamie Millan scored a try and converted it himself to be followed 4 minutes later with a wisely taken penalty to put Hawks in at halftime a comfortable 22-0 ahead.




NB Never tell a team to start the game after halftime as though it’s still 0-0 because you’ll probably get 0-0!




Or pretty close to that. If it hadn’t been for Skinny’s 2nd try after 5 minutes of the 2nd half there would have been very little to get excited about. The rain got heavier, the opposition defended well for such a young team and Hawks became more and more desperate.




Twenty minutes into the half James Small and Chris Breckenridge replaced Gav and Lovemachine but it would be fair to say that neither made a huge impact to the general malaise. Indeed James’ afternoon took a decided turn for the worse when he tore his hamstring – again! and despite wearing tights! – and had to come off after barely 10 minutes.




FINAL SCORE: Hawks 27 Biggar 0




A reasonable 1st half but the 2nd was……..!!!!! With the elements we should have built on the score but as we have to alter units so often, there is no cohesiveness or real shape to our play. Unlike the last 2 seasons there is not really a core of payers who are accustomed to playing together regularly and who are able to build the understanding that a TEAM game requires.




Good performances this week from Chris Bruce and Grant Strang, thanks to Matteo, Andy Plastow the physio and out two touch judges, Jake and, returning after a holiday, Stewart MacAulay. Have you ever heard 2 adults have an argument about whose touch judging was the better?




Great result for the 1’s as well so Anniesland was a brighter place to be this weekend!




This Saturday it’s back to 3p.m. kick-offs with the visit of the Nails 1st and 2nd XV.

This article was posted on 30-Jan-2008, 11:21 by Hugh Barrow.