Glasgow Hawks 20 Aberdeen Grammar 18

Hawks
Tries​Steven 71
Pen​Steele 6, 35, 43, 66
Drop Goal​Lowe 80

Grammar
Tries​Mackie 29, McCall 78
Con​Aloe 29
Pen​Aloe10, 63

Hawks narrowly edged out Aberdeen, who were already relegated, with a late drop goal to finish the 2013-14 league campaign with a win. In truth Hawks were lucky to take the points and Grammar can feel suitably aggrieved at losing out.
There was only an exchange of penalties between Jack Steele and Rob Aloe in the first ten minutes to give evidence to anything actually happening early on. Hawks looked to be a tired side and Aberdeen seemed to be much more alert. You would be hard pushed to tell which side had been relegated on the evidence of the early play. When Hawks had ball in hand Aberdeen where able to put the hosts under pressure and seemed to turn the ball over at will.
A missed penalty by Byron McGuigan was a brief respite in 15 minutes but Grammar suffered a double blow at about this time when first hooker Sam Bingham and then prop Matt Dixon were both replaced before 20 minutes were up.
Aberdeen, deservedly pulled ahead in 30 minutes when flanker, Ally Mackie, went over from very close range. Hawks had conceded a penalty needlessly in midfield and Aberdeen had put it into touch. Mackie swept over from the subsequent lineout. With Aloe adding the conversion, Aberdeen were good value for the 7 point margin.
Before the break, Steele slotted over a penalty in 35 minutes to narrow the gap, but as half-time arrived Hawks had been second best I all areas.
Aberdeen hampered their own chances when prop Struan Cessford went off to the naughty step in 43 minutes. This led to uncontested scrums, which, arguably, may have been disadvantageous to Hawks. The yellow card incident saw Hawks awarded a penalty which Steele duly put over. Mystifyingly, 3 minutes into the 2nd half and there was 1 point between the teams.
Hawks still struggled against 14 men and failed to put any more points on the board despite the advantage. Scrums were contested again in 53 minutes when Cessford returned to thee field.
Aberdeen then pushed forward forcing Hawks to concede a penalty in 63 minutes which Aloe slotted over.
It seems that Aberdeen were capable of seeing the tie out and Hawks defence of the Bill McLaren Shield would end with a whimper. Uncontested scrums returned after 70 minutes as Aberdeen lost a second prop to injury.
Hawks were awarded one deep in their own half. “Winning” their own put in, Paddy Boyer swiftly put a pass out to Dan Smart who unleashed the midfield. The ball reached Tom Steven who shifted his not inconsiderable frame down the far touch, running out of room, he kicked the ball ahead and pursued his own kick. Aberdeen full-back, Stevie Aitken, seemed to have the ball covered but misjudged the bounce of the ball allowing Steven to pounce for the try. Hawks now led by 4 points.
Aberdeen seemed to have killed the tie in 78 minutes, a lineout on half way seemed innocuous enough before Aberdeen threw it short and the forwards ran down the sideline without a seeming care in the world allowing lock, Matt McCall to go over for the try.
The clock was winding down but Hawks weren’t finished and punched their way into Aberdeen’s 22. Aberdeen maintained their discipline and didn’t concede a penalty as they stopped Hawks forward move. A ruck formed and Gavin Lowe stepped into the pocket taking a pass from Boyer before putting a drop kick coolly over for the winning score.
A son fan in the stand said, “We gout out of jail there.”

This article was posted on 22-Mar-2014, 19:28 by Hugh Barrow.