Instead of having a ‘Leap Year’ lets have a ‘Leap’ down memory lane and try to fill that void of Saturday afternoon rugby.

It was the last Saturday of February 2016 when GHA travelled to Anniesland to face old adversaries Glasgow Hawks in the Scottish Cup third round. The hosts may have come away victorious once again but the fact remains that this is the most recent occasion that the WestEnders have come out on top.

 

HAWKS RUTHLESSLY DISPATCH GHA AFTER EARLY TRY

GHA RFC MATCH 327: GLASGOW HAWKS RFC 64 – 5 GHA RFC

2015/2016: Scottish Cup 3rd Rnd

GLASGOW HAWKS RFC 

 GHA RFC

P. Mounal15B. Sorbie
R. Beattie14R. Jericevich
M. MacFarlane13B. Addison
P. Kelly12A. Henderson (c)
K. Gossman11A. Auld
J. Henderson10M. Houston
S. Yacoubian9A. Gillman
S. Findlay1T. Brogan
J. McFarlane2E. Cavan
G. Strain3L. Archer
(c) A. Linton4J. Lyons
A. Redmayne5C. McGeough
F. Gillies6R. McKinstray
S. Leckey7P. Harkins
A. Hill8G. Neilson
G. Stewart16S. Carson
B. Cullinane17M. Scott
K. McDonald18R. Angus
K. Beattie19D. Dunn
A. Lowry20A. Spowart
R. Beattie (2), Kelly (2), Yacoubian (2), K. Beattie, Leckey, MacFarlaneTryGillman
Mounal (5), Henderson (3)Con
MounalPen
DG
Referee
Mr K. White

 

Andrew Gillman could scarcely have known what he was about to unleash when he bagged an early solo try to open the scoring.

The GHA scrum-half’s seventh-minute touchdown confirmed what many at Old Anniesland were saying pre-match, this was a potential banana skin for the BT Premiership side, but, Hawks’ nine-try response enabled them to clinch a visit to high-flying National One side Marr in the quarter-finals.

“I felt, with a dry ball and a hard pitch, our fitness and intensity would tell, and, thankfully it did”, said Colin Gregor, promoted to post-match press duties by Peter Laverie’s absence, on SRU duty in Rome.

None of the newcomers impressed more than young Patrick Kelly, standing-in for captain McGroarty, who contributed some powerful running and two tries.

For GHA, coach Craig Sorbie found solace in defeat from the way his pack, outmuscled badly before the break, kept going to finish on the attack, but he had no excuses.

“Hawks are a quality outfit, we matched them first half, but ran out of steam; however, this reverse shows us the work we have to do to win promotion and be up with Hawks, which is where we aspire to be”.

After Gillman’s opener, Kelly’s first try three minutes later put Hawks into a lead they never looked like losing. Kelly and Sean Yacubian scored further tries, with French full-back Pierre Munial adding a penalty and three conversions for a 24-5 Hawks’ lead at the break.

In the second-half, Max McFarlane, Robert Beattie (twice), Kenny Beattie, Yacubian again, and Stephen Leckey added further tries for Hawks. Munial converted two of these, and Josh Henderson three.

So, rugby bragging rights in the city continue to reside around Anniesland, but GHA, despite the size of the defeat, went out of the cup with their heads high.

Source: The Herald, Sunday 28th February 2016

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