Glasgow Hawks 33 v 16 Boroughmuir

Scorers

Glasgow Hawks
Boroughmuir


Tries Murray Strang
Greg Francis
Iain Kennedy
Tries Angus Martyn
Ben Fisher
Rory Couper

Conversions Mike Adamson (3) Conversions Andy Hadden
Penalties Mike Adamson (4) Penalties
Drop Goals Drop Goals


Reporter: Simon Furnivall

Rory Couper had just scored a superb breakaway try, in style reminiscent of his effort in the BT Cup Final last season, putting Boroughmuir a point to the good after an excellent fight back in the second half. Seventeen minutes remained in the game, but as Andy Hadden lined up the conversion, which drifted agonisingly wide of the posts, Hawks player/coach Mark Sitch refused to panic, merely imparting upon his teammates the game plan which would see them to victory. Whilst low on confidence Boroughmuir tried desperately to cling on, Hawks showed exactly why they’ve won two consecutive titles, upping the ante in a thoroughly professional manner to wrest the points decisively in their own direction.

Throughout the game, Boroughmuir had carried forth the determination and commitment that had seen them claim a last gasp draw against Watsonians, giving the runaway league leaders problems all over the park, but particularly through the direct running and hard tackling of back row stars, Olly Brown, Ben Fisher and Angus Martyn.

With an injury list growing at an alarming rate, for this game claiming Dougie Brown, Ross Cook, Charlie Keenan, Euan Matheson, Ramin Mathieson, Ally Ness and Stuart Waddell, with David Cunningham and Alan Sievewright also unavailable, Boroughmuir were forced into naming an unfamiliar line-up, but the youngsters called upon did themselves a lot of credit.

Boroughmuir’s nemesis, the unforced error, came calling on a number of occasions during the first half. There was little difference in the territory held by both sides, but the home team looked more dangerous in possession, and more likely to convert the chances which came their way.

Sitch’s influence on the way the Glasgow side were playing the game was evident from the off. Throughout his career a strong force at the fringes of ruck and maul, his forward charges were following his example with an impressive display of picking and driving to make the hard yards into the Boroughmuir half. They took the lead in the game after seven minutes when Mike Adamson slotted a penalty between the sticks.

’Muir were giving their hosts some real reminders that they were going to be in a game, Olly Brown and Malcolm Clapperton making good yards up the left flank before the move eventually broke down, and on more than one occasion Rory Couper picked a good line to join the attack from full back and broke through lines of defence.

Hawks still had a measure of control, however, and grabbed their first try of an eventual three when Murray Strang raced away from the covering defence. An overthrown lineout from Boroughmuir went straight into Hawks’ hands and a series of missed tackles enabled the home side to make ground upfield and Strang was on the end of the move to score in the corner. Adamson added the conversion to give his side a ten point lead.

The home side were showing a worrying ability to cut through ’Muir’s defence at will, but they couldn’t find the second score which may have let them run away with the victory. Instead, Boroughmuir began to work their way back upfield and eventually got themselves on the scoresheet with a minute of the half remaining. After holding a period of pressure on the Hawks defence, including some good driving from Greig Scott, Freddie Lait and Danny Wright, quick thinking from Rory Couper saw him take a tap penalty from in front of the posts and spin the ball to Clapperton, who in turn found Angus Martyn on the wing and the flanker touched down for the try. Hadden’s conversion inched wide of the posts to the left, but hope of a positive result was fully restored.

The five point gap couldn’t be kept until the break, however, as an Adamson penalty with the final kick of the half sailed straight between the posts. Hawks had definitely looked the more comfortable of the two sides, but the fighting spirit of the ’Muir side was evident, and the chances of taking at least some points from the games looked good.

The second period began with Boroughmuir stealing possession from their Glasgow counterparts on a number of occasions, and from the first looking dangerous. Mike Brown caused panic for a moment in the home defence when he charged down Strang’s attempted clearance from his own twenty-two, but the ball rolled into touch before the winger could follow it up.

The first points of the half, however, came again from the boot of Adamson when he thumped his third penalty of the game through the posts. It didn’t diminish the ’Muir players’ appetite for the game, and an excellent run down the wing from Clapperton and Martyn made the initial yards, and Couper came within a yard of the line before he was eventually brought to the ground and Boroughmuir were penalised.

Two tries in three minutes, however, flung the capital side into the lead. Calum Cusiter, on for Andy Knight at scrum half, disrupted Richard MacKnight at the base of the scrum. The ball rolled loose and Cusiter’s fellow substitute, David Callum reacted quickest to claim it. Callum then raced from the ten metre line deep into the Hawks twenty-two, avoiding the nearby touchline with aplomb. ’Muir were awarded a penalty which, taken quickly, propelled them further towards the line and just when things were looking to slow down, Ben Fisher picked the ball up off the floor and dived over the line. Hadden added the conversion, cutting the gap to four points, though little did the visiting fans know that they would soon see their side in the lead.

With the ball in Hawks’ possession, just inside their own half near the right touchline, the home side knocked on. Cusiter pounced on the ball and made a searing break down the line. With Couper racing up on his outside, Cusiter drew Hawks winger Ally McClay inside before slipping the ball to the ’Muir captain, who outpaced the covering defence to score in the corner. Sitch’s calm amongst the storm; however, was to prove decisive as he forced his side forward.

Sticking perfectly to the game plan of “take it up, drive it on”, Hawks were soon deep in Boroughmuir territory, though Andy Hadden was frustrating them with a number of excellent clearance kicks. A fourth penalty from Adamson with ten minutes remaining put his side in back in front, and the crowd appeared to wake up, beginning to try and cheer their side to victory.

’Muir tried desperately to hold onto at least a bonus point, but the wave after wave of Hawks attack was bound to tell in the end, and it did with four minutes remaining. A Boroughmuir lineout turned over in their own twenty-two provided the platform, and after the ball had been swung into the centre of the park, it was moved back right and Sitch straightened the line before slipping a ball to Greg Francis who dived over the line in the corner. To add insult to injury, Adamson landed the conversion from the right touchline, to move Hawks more than seven points ahead and deny Boroughmuir the bonus point.

As the visiting side opened up to try and work their way back into the match, there were bound to be further gaps in their defence, and in injury time they put the game beyond any doubt. Having wheeled the Boroughmuir scrum, Hawks spun the ball left from their own effort, and Iain Kennedy crashed over the line for a try which Adamson again converted.

With Boroughmuir having fought so gallantly to get themselves into the lead of the game, a sixteen point defeat was certainly not what they deserved from the encounter. Positives can be taken, however, from the commitment and determination shown, and the ever improving performances. A tough game against Heriot’s awaits next weekend, but if the same kind of performance as the past two weeks is seen, then there is every chance that ’Muir can fight back to winning ways.

Post match comment from Iain Paxton:

How did Boroughmuir lose that game after fighting back to lead?

“They probably did a couple of things in defence that they shouldn’t. They should have been getting rid of the ball instead of trying to play in their own twenty-two.”

They did show good character to make a game of it though

“I though they played exceptionally well. The end result isn’t a true reflection of the game. They were hard done by with some of the penalties given against them, it was hard to understand what the call was. There were twelve points there that were quite difficult to take. But they did show good character to get into the lead.”

Is there an element that Hawks have simply forgotten how to lose?
“They’re used to winning, there’s no doubt about that. I didn’t think they were that fantastic, but they’ve come out with thirty three points. They certainly seem to have things going in their favour. It’s the old adage that when things are going well you make your own luck and it’s going that way for them at the moment.”

Boroughmuir: Rory Couper (c); Mike Brown, Malcolm Clapperton, Stephen Ruddick, Robert Cairns; Andy Hadden, Andy Knight; Freddie Lait, Kyle Traynor, Danny Wright; Greig Scott, Graeme McCallum; Olly Brown, Ben Fisher, Angus Martyn: Subs used; David Callam, Calum Cusiter: not used; Greg Cottrell, Ross Smith

Glasgow Hawks: Mike Adamson; Ally Maclay, Iain Kennedy, Steven Duffy, Steve Gordon; Murray Strang, Richard McKnight; Eric Milligan (c), Sean Fell, Nick Cox; Peter Dalton, Mark Sitch; Greg Francis, Scott Forrest, Neil McKenzie

This article was originally posted on 22-Oct-2005, 22:03 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 22-Oct-2005, 22:06.