THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS

Glasgow Hawks 20 - 22 West of Scotland: Underdogs have their day as West out-think Hawks for victory



Published Date: 19 September 2009
By William Paul
WITH both Scottish pro teams away from home, the Premiership wannabes claimed Friday night as their own to come out and play under the floodlights in a Glasgow derby that saw underdogs West outplay the favourites and local rivals Glasgow Hawks before having to hang on grimly as it almost slipped away at Old Anniesland.
As an experiment to market club rugby and attract larger crowds, the initial effect was encouraging with around 1,500 people circling the pitch with live commentary on Radio Scotland. As a game of rugby it was even more encouraging with plenty of passion and commitment, not a little skill, and a tremendous climax to produce a final result that upset the odds and frayed the nerves of all who saw this match.

"That was our best performance so far. I knew the team had it in them. I was so proud because Hawks are a very good team and we had our backs to the wall at the end after a great first half," said West coach John Beattie.

Hawks, having rebounded from an opening-match defeat, had scored 14 tries and 98 points in their last two games while West had conceded ten tries and gained only a single bonus point in a so far winless season.

The form book told one story, but events on the pitch scripted another with West wrapping up their opponents in a tactical bear hug that suppressed any threat and gave them four tries but weakened late on to leak two tries and give Hawks an intoxicating sniff of a victory they could not quite reach.

A first-minute penalty gave Hawks a three-point start and stung West into a spirited response that was ferocious enough to suck in the Hawks defence and give centre Richard Dalgleish a chance to run in from beyond the 22 wide on the left.

Almost immediately Hawks teenage stand-off Duncan Weir restored the lead with his second penalty, a long-range effort that split the posts. But only some heroic tackling by Hawks kept out a West surge and tempers frayed to produce a mob-handed punch-up under the posts with safety in numbers dictating that the cards stayed in the referee's pocket.

West kept up the pressure and stand off Connor Davis wasn't to be denied on the half hour as he intercepted a ball inside the 22 to score, but then miss the conversion. Hawks could not get out of their own half and Dalgleish took advantage of some slick passing to carve a way over for his second try. Davis then converted for the extra points.

Hawks prop Eric Milligan was sin-binned for an offence at a ruck and moments later fellow ex-pro Guy Perrett followed him to the sidelines to even up the numbers and at half time West were 6-17 to the good.

The fourth try came on the right when West seemed to have wasted the chance, but prop Elliot McLaren somehow to squeeze in at the corner for the touchdown and the try bonus point.

Minutes later Hawks finally managed to break through West's suffocating grip and it was Weir who slipped behind the posts and then chipped over the conversion. Hawks had suddenly built up a head of steam and but for a fumbled interception and a 50-50 call on a fight for the ball in the in-goal area might have added more points.

West were buckling under the strain but not breaking, and continued to be dangerous as Hawks abandoned all semblance of caution as the game went into the final quarter and they threw everything they had at the visitors.

Davis missed another penalty attempt that might have calmed West's nerves and it turned the other way as Hawks were held up twice at scrums on the line before the referee awarded the penalty try. Weir converted to bring Hawks within two points.

The scene was set for a nail- biting finale. Any score would settle it and both team knew it and went for it hell for leather. In the last minute, West cranked up the pressure by spurning a reasonable chance of penalty points by kicking for the corner instead.

Their line-out had been impressive all day and it was called on one last time. It did its job – the ball was won, and then again at the next line-out. Hawks held them out and then broke out themselves as the clock ran down.

The last kick of the game went to Hawks' Weir, one metre inside his own half. It was on target but short and West had the win.

Scorers

Hawks: Tries: Weir. Conversions: Weir 2. Pens: Weir 2. West of Scotland: Tries: Dalgleish 2, Davis, McLaren. Con: Davis.

Glasgow Hawks: C Gossman, R Hair, I Noble, G MacDonald, S Murray, D Weir, P Jericevich, N Cox, E Milligan, J Stafford, R McKay, M Whistleton, C Kerr, G Harkness, G Strang. Replacements: G Strain, C Taylor, G Oomen, E Morrison, K Gossman.

West of Scotland: M Sim, A Park, R Dalgleish, I Keith, G Dempsey, C Davis, M McConnell, M Bradford, F Thomson, E McLaren, G Perett, R Harley, A Kennedy, D Young, G Fisken. Subs: R Kelso, G Bulloch, R MacAlpine, D Bygrave, B Wright.

Referee: G Gordon.

This article was posted on 19-Sep-2009, 07:07 by Hugh Barrow.