Familiar tale as unconvincing Hawks make Currie pay for missed chances

WILLIAM PAUL
AT OLD ANNIESLAND


Glasgow Hawks 21
Currie 14

A CERTAIN sense of tactical déjà vu descended when Hawks turned round at half time trailing to a Currie side who fully deserved their 9-0 lead.


The same thing had happened at Hawick the previous week. Hawks had responded then by shaking off their lethargy and scoring a blitz of quick tries that won the game and maintained their unbeaten record. Surely they weren't going to do the same this week? Oh yes they were.

Three tries in the third quarter turned the game on its head and although Currie fought back to snatch a late consolation try that got them a bonus point it was a meagre reward for the overall effort they put in.

The runaway league leaders seem to make a habit of living dangerously and producing good rugby in bursts rather than with any consistency. Coach David Wilson knows that it is only a matter of time before their luck runs out.

"It is going to bite us on the backside one of these times," he said. "We showed no urgency. We were indecisive. We allowed ourselves to be bullied on our own patch. It was a bad day at the office."

Such a litany of criticism has to be seen in perspective because the bottom line is that Hawks won again and sit nine points clear at the top of the table.

This was achieved despite giving away a couple of soft early penalties and not even getting into the visitors' 22 until 20 minutes had gone. When they did get there Currie's defence held firm without too much trouble and went upfield for stand off Andy Muir to land his third penalty on the half hour.

Hawks began to apply pressure and the packs were beginning to strike sparks off each other. Currie lock Andy Adam was sin binned for one indiscretion too many and Hawks decided to scrum down rather than kick the penalty. Currie not only emerged unscathed but sent scrum half Graham Calder tearing up the wing to be stopped ten metres short.

The might have beens start at this point because Currie, like so many clubs before them, had their chance to put Hawks away and hadn't taken it.

Hawks finally came good within minutes of the restart when England under 21 prop Nick Cox, just on the pitch as a replacement, got the ball ten metres out and powered his way over the line with two defenders on his back.

Several phases of possession then set up the second try, with Murray Strang off-loading in the tackle to Duffy who zig-zagged to the line and Hawks were in the lead for the first time.

Currie might have been expected to fold at this stage, especially when Strang claimed his side's third try with an opportunistic hack and chase. Instead Currie re-asserted control of the game and skipper Steve McEwan got a try in the 78th minute that produced a well-earned bonus point.

Scorers: Glasgow Hawks: Tries: N Cox, S Duffy, M Strang. Cons: M Adamson 3. Currie: Tries: S McEwan. Pens: A Muir 3

Glasgow Hawks: M Adamson, S Low, I Kennedy, S Duffy, S Gordon, M Strang, S Biggart, G McFadyen, S Fell, P Dalton, S Warnock, R Maxton, G Francis, N McKenzie, M Sitch. Subs used: M Smith, N Cox , M Stevens, A Maclay.

Currie: D Flockhart, S May, B Cairns, G Moffat, C Brown, A Muir, G Calder, S McEwan, G Scott, A Edwards, A Adam, R McBride, T Walker, R Weston, M Cairns. Subs: G Downs, A Reekie, J Taggart.

Referee: I Heard (Gala).

This article was posted on 10-Oct-2005, 09:03 by Hugh Barrow.