Melrose v Glasgow Hawks

Melrose v Glasgow Hawks – 5/9/26

This Round 2 Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership match was played in bright, but breezy conditions. The initial play from both sides was a demonstration of aerial ping-pong before Craig Fairbain, with only a minute played, laid hands on the ball and broke up the centre to score between the posts with Luke Townsend adding the extras. It took another twenty-eight minutes before the score-keeper was called into action. Donald Crawford made a fine break off-loading to Sam Derrick who ran in from the Hawks 22 to the posts to score with Townsend, again, converting. Four minutes later Melrose put in a series of plays ending with Gav Wood squirming over in the Town Corner for a try which Townsend converted.

Half time – Melrose 21 Glasgow Hawks 0.

The Melrose bonus point try came two minutes into the second half. Melrose were pressing in St. Marys Corner when the ball was spun left across the pitch with Callum Anderson scoring to the left of the posts and Townsend converting. Five minutes later Hawks kicked a penalty to the Town Corner with Seb Hastings completing the maul with an unconverted try. Melrose, a further five minutes later, won a 5m scrum in the Church Corner with Henno Bowe latching onto the ball and scoring an unconverted try. Mid-way through the half Charlie Robbie, with his eyes firmly on the high ball, took out a Hawks defender in the air, who was also trying to collect the ball. For his sins Robbie was shown a straight red card, and, from the resultant penalty lineout rolling maul in the Town Corner Fraser Muir scored an unconverted try.  Despite being a man down the Melrose effort continued and, at 65 minutes, a dominant driving scrum allowed Craig Greer to score with Roly Brett now converting, then, three minutes later, Greer and Brett continued their double act with 7 more points. The scoring ended at 72 minutes when Brett kicked a penalty. To-day’s ending was much kinder on an old man’s heart!

Melrose 50 Glasgow Hawks 10.

Melrose – Callum Anderson, Charlie Robbie, Ben Pickles, Gav Wood, Donald Crawford, Luke Townsend, Doug Crawford, Jack Dobie, Millar Anderson, Zen Szwagrzak, Sam Derrick, Angus Runciman©, Craig Fairbairn, Paddy Anderson, Ru Campbell. Replacements – Robbie Robinson, Jarrah Bell, Craig Greer, Henno Bowe, Elliot Ruthven, Scott Clark, Roly Brett.

Glasgow Hawks – Euan Muirhead, Rory Caldwell, James Pinkerton, Gavin Cruikshank, James Couper©, Dave McCartney, Cameron Louden, Dan Cruikshank, Dan Casserly, James Campbell, Aidan Orr, Andy Rutherford, Craig Nolan, Yousef Shaheen, Seb Hastings. Replacements – Tom McTeir, Fraser Muir, Ashton Young, Andrew Syme, Jonah Hastings, Logan Jarvie, Murray Waugh.

Referee – Sam O’Neil-Thomson. Assistants – Rebecca Rees & Charles Samson.

“Eclectic Coffee” Man of the Match – Callum Anderson.