HAWKS FLAP; Fightback gives big guns a scare.
CURRIE 21 GLASGOW HAWKS 1Flapping Hawks survived an amazing second-half fightback to pip the Premiership pacesetters in a Malleny Park thriller.
The Glasgow men appeared to be strolling as they led 25-5 at the interval.
But plucky Currie battled back to within seven points, only to give away a last-gasp penalty.
Relieved Hawks chief Iain Russell admitted: "We almost chucked it away. We played some great rugby before the break and deserved our lead - but then we let things slip badly.
"We fell away and Currie came back at us strongly and at the end I cannot deny that luck was on our side."
Currie coach Bruce Macnaughton said: "We gave them too much leeway in the first-half - and that slackness proved decisive."
Hawks opened the scoring when Murray Wallace picked up from the base of a scrum under the Currie crossbar and Hawks skipper Dave Wilson plunged over against his old clubmates.
Kiwi stand-off Eugene Martin slotted the simple conversion - then quickly widened the gap to double figures with a penalty.
Hawks kept up the pressure and went over again in the 24th minute through a penalty try.
Matt McGrandles combined cleverly with Danny Ablett in a tight space near the corner flag - and as Martin tried to reach the loose ball as it trundled over the line he was held back.
Test ref Jim Fleming had no hesitation in awarding the five points and Martin converted.
Hawks let their guard slip and allowed Currie to break their duck when winger Steven Reed skipped in - but their joy was short-lived.
Just four minutes later, lock Scott Hutton plunged through at the end of a rolling maul.
Martin saw his angled conversion crash back off a post - but then stroked over a 40- metre penalty.
Currie's hopes of a comeback were boosted just four minutes after the restart when they flashed the ball wide to Geoff Caldwell and he raced over.
Donaldson converted brilliantly from the touchline only to see Martin fire over his third penalty for the Hawks almost immediately.
As the frantic end-to-end action continued, Donaldson's trusty boot kicked three penalties to put Currie within seven points.
And Hawks suffered another setback when Martin limped off to be replaced by Peter Harris.
But they clinched it with Craig Dunlop's last kick of the match after Alan Watt had elbowed a rival.
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
|---|---|
| Author: | Kelso, David |
| Publication: | Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland) |
| Date: | Oct 4, 1998 |
| Words: | 394 |
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