SIX OF THE BEST AS AYR CLIP HAWKS
Try show kills pre- match boasts
The word in the fashionable salons and cafés of Glasgow’s west end last week was that Hawks were going to do a serious number on Ayr.
Given the selection of handmedowns they sported from Glasgow Warriors in their line- up, it looked as though they were quite determined to make that prediction come true.
After all, it is about time they did since the only thing resembling a BT Premiership west coast derby has become fairly predictable in recent times and all that huffing about this game giving Hawks bragging rights going into a BT Cup semi- final or play off semi final with Ayr at Millbrae?
Well, that was as presumptive as it was ill- advised since it hardly showed much respect to the other clubs involved and who will have their own say before either semifinal takes place.
Hawks coach Finlay Gillies said: “I didn’t feel that the scoreline really reflected the game.”
Oh it did, Finlay, it did. Ayr’s physicality outmuscled Hawks, their pace left them clutching at shadows and the clinical precision with which they out- thought their opponents saw them score six cracking tries with a consolation try, if it could be deemed such, from Kerr Gossman.
Ayr started as they meant to continue with Ross Curle, Archie Russell and Craig Gossman all teasing the home defence but it took a superb piece of skill from Danny McCluskey to create the opening score.
His text book hit on Kerr Gossman sprung the ball, the Ayr wing played footy with it for 20 yards, scooped it up, flipped inside to Craig Gossman whose deft offload put Russell in for the opening try.
After a series of inconclusive scrums in the Hawks red zone, Ayr scrum half David Armstrong had obviously had enough, sold an outrageous dummy and popped over for try number two, converted by Frazier Climo.
On the half hour, Hawks prop Gary Strain gave Ayr a fright with a colossal burst but didn’t quite have the gas to go all the way only for Curle to be yellow carded at the subsequent ruck, giving Hawks a chance to get on the board going into the break.
A combination of huge Ayr defence and discipline, with Will Bordill and Blair Macpherson in the thick of it, led to some wretched handling that denied Hawks any advantage from the field position and they trudged off 12- 0 adrift.
The highlight of the opening stages of the second half was a contretemps involving a high tackle by Gossman ( Kerr) on Gossman( Craig) which resulted in frère Kerr being binned.
His brother took revenge with a scorching run after the promising Gregor Henry had made the hard yards then a lovely offload saw the restored Curle scoot in under the posts for Climo to convert.
One suspects that it frustrates skipper Pete McCallum to be sitting on three tries thus four points since so often it is he who clinches the bonus point score and so it was as he brushed aside tackles to touch down from close range.
Kerr Gossman scampered in for the try which finally brought the home side of the scoreboard to life but in the end, the tries from Jamie Bova and a well deserved score for Danny McCluskey took the scoreline to 36- 7 and those bragging rights yet again headed down the M77.