Date: Sunday, 21st December 2008
Kickoff time: 14:30
Against: Currie
Team: Hawks 1st XV
Location: Home
Competition: Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership Division 1
Final score: 33 - 20 (won)

Hawks stage a new take on Great EscapeNEIL DRYSDALE December 22 2008 Glasgow Hawks 33 Currie 20 On the shortest day, this was the longest road to redemption that Glasgow Hawks could have envisaged, but it all finished happily in the end. Trailing 20-0 at half-time, and confronted by the growing spectre of relegation from the Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership, the Anniesland personnel effected a magnificent volte-face to secure a victory which could prove crucial to their hopes of survival in the highest echelon. When it mattered, Hawks cranked up the momentum, capitalised on the sin-binning of Currie captain Andy Adam, and scored three tries in a seven-minute burst which might transform the complexion of their entire season. advertisement Earlier, Currie's Johnnie Smith broke the deadlock with a brace of penalties, and Hawks' problems increased when Andrew Easson conjured up a marvelous individual try, surging past a string of challenges before touching down, as the prelude to Smith slotting a difficult conversion. If that spelled trouble, the hosts' plight worsened when Stevie Gordon was yellow-carded for a high tackle on his rival winger, Douglas Fife, whereupon the latter inflicted revenge a couple of moments later with an incisive try to send his side into an apparently unassailable lead. At that stage, it looked a pretty forlorn pursuit, but the match was turned on its head between the 46th and 52nd minutes. First, Gary Strain ploughed over from close range and suddenly there was a semblance of hope. It blossomed further when Byron Mohr intercepted Andy Turnbull's pass and sprinted clear, and the drama intensified when Allan Kelly surged forward, the ball was shifted across the field and Mohr latched on for his second score. All this while Adam sat disconsolately on the periphery. Hawks now recognised that their opponents were bedraggled and Colin Shaw and Stevie Gordon thrived on the pack's hard work, both crossing the Currie line and wrapping up the try bonus to cement a triumph which, coupled with Ayr's demolition of Stirling 24 hours earlier, might be a pivotal change in the teams' fortunes. Ultimately, it was a nice sporting variation on "The Great Escape." Team list for this match Andrew Kirkland Grant Strang

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