Heartbreak for Hawks

Glasgow Hawks 18 Boroughmuir 21
Hawks
Tries: (Penalty) 20, Herron 27
Con: Horne 20
Pen: Horne 8, 59
Ayr
Tries: Edmunds 1, Keddie 31, Moody 40
Con: Bezuidenhout 1, 31, 40

Hawks’ Murrayfield dreams fizzled out at Old Anniesland with more of a whimper than a bang.

Before the supporters had settled in their seats Hawks found themselves 5 points behind after 42 seconds at Boroughmuir’s winger, Jordan Edmunds, was over close to the posts. The home side were left reeling as the visitors burst through midfield as if Hawks were still in the dressing room.7With Carl Bezuidenhout slotting over the easy conversion. It was like kicking off with a 7 point handicap. (0-7)

This had come as a shock as the crowd had watched earlier as GHK had secured their place in the Shield at Murrayfield in some style an hour earlier. However Hawks reacted well to this set back and the pack, as has happened so often before started to drag them back into the match.

Before ten minutes were up George Horne opened the home scoring with a penalty after Muir had strayed offside. A bit of ill-considered back chat saw the Hawks’ place kick made 10 metres shorter and he stroked the ball nicely over the bar. (3-7)

Hawks were putting the pressure on Muir and had won a lineout wide on the right. The catch and drive was powerful but strong Muir defence drove the Maul into touch and Muir had the throw. The Hawks’ line were through on Bezuidenhout quickly charging down the clearance in the in-goal to secure a Scrum.

The first scrum saw Muir penalised and Hawks opted for a second which was reset. As thr Hawks’ pack went to pushover, Muir broke off and referee, Neil Paterson, ran under the posts to award the penalty try. With Horne converting Hawks had established a narrow lead. (10-7)

Hawks took command of the match in 27 minutes as Finn Gillies picked up from a scrum, in his own half, putting a pass to Paddy Boyer. There was a couple of really great interplay passes between him and Neil Herron before the winger secured the try. It was very much advantage Hawks. (15-7)

Hawks suffered a blow when Stephen Leckey was sin-binned in 28 minutes after he kicked the ball out of Johnny Adams’ hand at a ruck. It was to prove costly. From the consequent penalty Muir, had a five metre lineout at the pavilion end. The ball was cleanly caught and the pack drove to the line allowing Craig Keddie to go over for the score. With Bezodenhout adding the extras there was a point in it. (15-14)

Hawks weren’t cowed by this a few minutes later Herron had a great run out of his own 22 deep into the Muir half but the home team struggled to get into the red zone.

It looked as if they would see out the ten minutes short-handed without conceding another score but Muir put another penalty and scored another try in almost identical manner to the first. This time it fell to Iain Moody to secure the touchdown.

With the reliable Bezuidenhout converting Muir had a 6 point lead at half-time. (15-21
)
There was little inspirational in the second half, a tremendous kick through from Ally Maclay had Muir worried but the visitors defence matched an offence unsure as to what it was doing. Horne made it a 3 point match in 59 minutes with a penalty. (18-21)

But Hawks challenge drifted away in increasingly desperate long distance attempts to take the match into Extra-time.

When the final whistle blew you could see the elation amongst the Boroughmuir players who have had difficult season and two wins against Hawick in League and Cup could make all that pain worthwhile.