Hawick 32 - Peebles 20
Feb
With the leagues now entering the business end of the season when promotion
and relegation will be determined, every point won now is crucial. Hawick
are now in a very comfortable second place position, fourteen points clear
of nearest rival GHA but until promotion is assured the players and coaches
cannot afford to relax and must remain totally focused.
The match had to be moved over the fence onto the YM pitch due to the frosty
ground in front of the stand and the playing conditions were again perfect,
bright spring sunshine and little breeze. The opening exchanges belonged to
Hawick and a Graham Hogg penalty was all that they could show for their
efforts. Peebles hit back with a converted try to take the lead at 7-3.
Hawick then took control again and a good wingers try was scored in the
corner through Steven Anderson followed shortly afterwards with Bruce McNeil
evading his tacklers from the twenty two to score in the opposite corner and
a 13 points to 7 lead. Peebles, not to be outdone, hit back again just
before the break with a converted try to again give themselves the slender
lead at 14-13.
The second half saw the lead change hands no less than three times in a
match where all players from both sides were showing total commitment.
Peebles put over a simple penalty before Michael Robertson was up in support
of a Bruce McNeil break to barge over for a try and a 18-17 lead. Another
Peebles penalty again gave them the lead at 20-18 with the match entering
the final minutes. Hawick turned down a near certain three points from a
penalty in front of the posts and chose to move the ball which found Graham
Hogg who scored which Gary Johnstone converted. Hawick now had the momentum
and a driving maul near the Peebles line saw Michael Robertson emerge with
the ball to score his second try which again Johnstone converted for a hard
fought win by 32 points to 20.
Team:- 1. Bruce McNeil, 2. Hue Scammell, 3. Ali Marsh, 4. Keiran Willison,
5. Craig Charters, 6. Ross Gibson, 7. Gary Lowrie, 8. Michael Robertson, 9.
Kevin Reid, 10. Dean McCracken, 11. Steven Anderson, 12. Graham Hogg, 13.
Greg Anderson, 14. Michael Graham, 15. John Coutts
16. Gary Johnstone, 17. Ali Weir, 18. Garry Douglas, 19. Keith Miller
