Glasgow Hawks 25 - 13 Aberdeen GSFP

CALUM McNICOL at Old Anniesland September 05 2005

David Wilson, the Hawks coach, might have swaggered around after this match in a black cape, eyes masked and a glint in them that suggested the stagecoach had been well and truly plundered. For you could argue that taking a bonus-point win over this spirited Dons side was real daylight robbery.
But that would be taking away a final quarter of inspiration from a Hawks team that had, until then, been mostly about perspiration.
Wilson admitted: "Maybe it was a question of wearing Aberdeen down, but once we got the forwards winning a bit of ball, we showed we're not just a one-dimensional side.
"I think we've got some quality backs and we've got some great ball players in there as well, and it was the sort of day where we could throw the ball around. Early doors, we were too anxious to move the ball."
Early doors, Aberdeen dominated, simple as that. Twice in the opening six minutes, the visitors were held up over the line, Richie Maxton then Greg Francis performing the Hawks' defensive heroics.
Wilson was possibly being a little disingenuous when he added: "Aberdeen did very well around the breakdown and managed to stifle and slow the ball. They created problems for us."
Because for an hour of this game, Grammar's pack kept their vaunted opponents in check, Jason Watt and Duncan Massey in particular, marshalling an effective platform for livewire scrum-half Luke Parsons and astute captain Rod Seib to dictate play.
Centre Mark Ozich opened the scoring with a penalty after 10 minutes, but was wide with two more attempts before Iain Kennedy, easily the most direct runner on the park, streaked over for a superb try, goaled by Murray Strang.
Hawks' lead was short-lived however. On 35 minutes, former Glasgow Warrior Rory McKay dived over for Ozich to convert and give the away side a 10-7 lead at the interval.
A yellow card for Grammar hooker Sean Crombie for repeated infringement didn't alter the pattern of the game much. In fact, he was back on the park by the time the Hawks finally found their wings, with the score at 13-10 to Aberdeen, Strang and Ozich having swapped penalties.
That man Kennedy made a sinuous break through midfield cover and fed the supporting Scott Forrest for a cracking score after 68 minutes. Six minutes later, a stunned Grammar were 25-13 behind. First, the tireless Mark Sitch and Forrest combined to take play into the Dons 22, from where centre Steven Duffy crashed over.
Then Sitch displayed phenomenal hands to catch a pass at his bootstraps and deftly offload to Steve Begley who romped over untouched. All three tries were unconverted.
Hawks played out the match like an exhibition team, all flicks and sashays as the wheels had fallen off the Dons wagon.

This article was posted on 5-Sep-2005, 06:43 by Hugh Barrow.