Glasgow Hawks 10 Stirling County 25

Hawks
Tries​Smart (66)
Con ​Wight (66)
Pen​Wight (25)

County
Tries​Vernon (5), Lamb (15), Bhatti (65)
Con​Archibald (5, 15)
Pen ​Archibald (40, 42
Glasgow Hawks slumped to their worst defeat at home this year as the finished 2013 with a home defeat against a Stirling County side that outplayed them in every aspect of the game.
Hawks suffered a blow to their hopes early in the first half when the County backs sliced through the home defence in 5 minutes. The ease with which Glasgow warriors pro, Richie Vernon, finished off a sweeping backs move for an easy try. Brian Archibald added the conversion and even at this point it looked like Hawks would struggle.
This was hammered home in 15 minutes as the visitors increased their lead. Another wide move was just held out in the home 22 before the ball was recycled. County stand-off, Stuart Edwards put the deftest of angled kicks over the heads of the Hawks’ midfield which was gathered by winger Matt Lamb who gathered superbly to give himself the simplest run-in, which Archibald again converted.
A Scott Wight penalty was the only score for the Hawks in the first period as a persistent failure to hold onto the ball in contact saw them gift County the ball no fewer than 8 times. As the half was coming to an end Archibald put a penalty over for the visitors and it was 3-17 at half-time.
Archibald started the second half as he had ended the first with a simple penalty which increased the difference to 17 points.
As the game moved staggered on Hawks struggled put together any sort of passage of play. They looked very much like a scratch side.
Just beyond the hour County seemed yo be pushing home for a bonus as prop Jamie Bhatti went over from close range securing the third try.
Finally Hawks actually put a passage of play, when Ross Miller burst through the mdfield. Rampaging over the 10 metre line he saw he would not pass the cover and hoofed it toward the visitors goal=line as the ball rolled toward the dead ball, Dan Smart was first to it beating Stirling’s defence and scoring the try.
Wight added the conversion but although there was over 10 minutes left Hawks were adrift and it was too little too late.
Red cards for Hadden McPherson and Matt Lamb will see them disciplined but this was the last moments of the game and did not affect the outcome.

This article was posted on 21-Dec-2013, 21:33 by Hugh Barrow.