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Wanderers versus Hawick YM at Fort Matilda

WIN 27 14 (Try Bonus) Saturday 16 January 2010
(19 January 2010)

AT the end of the day Wanderers secured the win, deservedly so, and the
bonus point, but they will be aware that it wasn’t the finest of
performances.
After scoring three tries in the first half, their display in the second
period, with the slight breeze behind them, was anything but impressive.
They lacked structure and cohesion, took too many wrong options, and the
overall result was a messy half full of unforced errors, hesitation and
indecision.
It is no bad thing to win when failing to play well — the best teams
turn it into a habit — but the coaches will have plenty to get their
teeth into in the week ahead.
Having beaten the Borderers on their own patch earlier in the campaign,
Wanderers entered this game in confident mood. Top of the league by a
comfortable margin, they took the field with every reason to justify
that self-belief.
The opening quarter was marked by Hawick’s continual killing of the ball
in rucks and home stand-off Ant Devlin slewed a penalty attempt wide of
the right post from 45 metres and just to the left of the posts.
In 22 minutes, however, Greenock got points on the board with a well
worked try. Possession was won from a scrum in the middle of the park,
the ball was switched left and Leigh Tyley squeezed over in the corner.
Devlin hooked the conversion and it remained 5-0.
Soon after Devlin chose to go on his own with an overlap outside him
but, when Hawick were penalised again for holding on, Wanderers kicked
for position in the corner.
Yet again Hawick were penalised for killing the ball in the ruck and
scrum-half Andy McDougall reacted to take a quick kick and dive over for
a second try. Devlin missed the kick, but Wanderers were setting the tone.
They were fortunate to survive when Hawick stand-off Welsh was wide with
a relatively simple penalty then YM forward Turnbull was sin-ninned
following a lineout in 34 minutes. While he was off, McDougall again
showed excellent opportunism to take advantage of a dropped ball and add
a third home try 15 yards to the left of the posts. Devlin this time
converted to make it 17-0.
Hawick No. 8 Davis followed Turnbull off the park for a yellow card
offence as half-time loomed, but it was the visitors, down to 13 men,
who scored right on the stroke of the interval when Young sold an
outrageous dummy to go in under the posts for a try which Welsh converted.
At 17-7, Hawick were still in the game. Four minutes after the break,
Devlin saw a penalty kick drift wide before a good follow-up tackle by
left wing replacement Gregg Workman prevented a counter attack by Hawick.
A fine move through the backs by the hosts took play into the visitors’
22 and when Devlin converted a straightforward penalty to make it 20-7
the home support settled back in anticipation of further scores.
It didn’t quite work out that way. Wanderers became embroiled in a
series of errors and, gradually, Hawick began to sense an opportunity.
Their pack became energised and a great run on the counter by flanker
Sutherland up the left touchline only failed to bring a try when the
final pass to his left wing went forward.
By this time Wanderers had lost any shape to their play and were badly
needing to get back to doing the basics.
The visitors looked the more urgent team and, at times, the fitter too,
as they took advantage of Wanderers’ slackness.
Then, with four minutes left for play, Jason Smith left the referee with
little choice but to send him off after a late tackle on Young.
Two minutes later, however, Wanderers grabbed their fourth try and, with
it, the bonus point. Devlin took McDougall’s pass and ran 40 yards
through the YM defence before going over in the right corner.
He added the goal points with a kick from near the touchline to redeem
what was an otherwise below par performance.
Hawick, however, had a sting to the tail of the game when scrum-half
Campbell burrowed over following a ruck in front of the home posts,
Welsh adding the conversion.
The win, along with the bonus point, was welcome, but the display was
perhaps indicative of the festive season lay-off.
But in days gone by, this is a game Greenock may well have lost.

Wanderers: Watson; J Smith, K Smith, Murray, Tyley; Devlin, McDougall; D
Smith, McMichael, M Lavelle; Gray, Duncan; Abernethy, Robb, Clark.

Wanderers are sponsored by National Semiconductor.
 

Saturday, 16 January 2010
	14:00		Stewartry	-	:	-			Highland
Note: postponed:TBC
	14:00		Kilmarnock	-	:	-			Caithness
Note: postponed:TBC
	14:00		Lasswade	-	:	-			Newton Stewart
Note: postponed:TBC
	14:00		Cambuslang	-	:	-			Preston Lodge
Note: postponed:TBC
	14:00		Greenock Wand	27	:	14			Hawick YM
	14:00		Waysiders	-	:	-			Glasgow Accies
Note: postponed:TBC

League Table

Wanderers versus Hawick YM at Fort Matilda was posted by GWRFC.
To discuss any of its subject matter further please contact Greenock Wanderers RFC

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