Sunday Herald reports -
Glasgow Hawks 25 - 13 Aberdeen GS FP

Dominating this match from the start, Aberdeen looked keener and more cohesive in the face of a Hawks side that was distinctly out of sorts. So how did it all go wrong?
Grammar opened the scoring with a Mark Ozich penalty in eight minutes, then the visitors spent the next 20 minutes in Hawks’ half. Without a recognised kicker, Grammar squandered a couple of chances to go further ahead and then were punished after half an hour when Hawks conjured a try from fresh air.

Against the run of play, Stuart Low broke in midfield, offloading a pass to Ian Kennedy. The former GHA man was 30 metres out when he stepped inside Rod Said and evaded Grant Walker to score under the posts, which was goaled by Murray Strang.

Aberdeen were chastened by this and struck back by putting a penalty into touch close to the line. As the ball sprung wide, Hawks were stretched in defence and former Warrior Rory McKay went over for a try which Ozich goaled, sending Grammar ahead again.

Hawks struggled, often seeing good ball lost through simple handling errors.

Aberdeen produced more of the same in the second half, keeping Hawks under pressure. The home side were unlucky when Peter Dalton was held up over the line and then advantage seemed to go their way when Sean Crombie was sin-binned and Strang tied the scores with a penalty.

Despite the handicap Aberdeen still dominated, although the home support were aggrieved that referee Malcolm Changleng allowed uncontested scrums when Aberdeen appeared to have front-row cover on the bench. Grammar dug deep with a penalty from Ozich just short of the hour.

But 10 minutes later, the match was turned on its head.

A break by Kennedy from half way saw the centre in Grammar’s 22 before the visitors could react. By then, Scott Forrest was on hand to take the pass and score the try.

Within two minutes, Steven Duffy was over for the third try. Victory was completed when Mark Fitch went over for the bonus try in 48 minutes.

Hawks had moved from losers to closers in six minutes, with fluid passing and superb support play taking all five points and leaving the Aberdeen side without even a consolation point.

Glasgow Hawks: G Staniforth; K Baillie, I Kennedy, S Duffy, S Low; M Strang, R McKnight, E Milligan, M Smith, P Dalton, S Warnock, R Maxton, G Frances, N MacKenzie, M Sitch. Subs used: S Begley, S Forrest, S Biggar.

Aberdeen: R Said; C Philips, E Campbell, M Ozich, G Walker; F Rankine, L Parsons; D Massie, S Crombie, I Brown, M Stanning, A Pulman, J Watt, R Currie, R McKay. Subs used: P Hudson, G Murray, I Stanger.

Referee: M Changleng (Gala).

This article was posted on 4-Sep-2005, 08:11 by Hugh Barrow.