Hawick rise to second in the league
Nov
With both Hawick and Peebles having a successful start to the season and
both sitting at the business end of the league table, this was a very
important match for both sides, with the winning team staying in contention
with Stirling County at the top of the table. On another marvellous Autumn
afternoon for playing rugby, a good sized crowd gathered at The Gytes for
another eagerly awaited Border Derby.
It was Peebles who held the upper hand in the opening ten minutes with
Hawick rarely out of their own territory. The stout Hawick defence held firm
and Peebles emerged with nothing to show for their efforts. Hawick then
upped their play and it was that man John Coutts who started a move in his
own 22 by chipping over the Peebles defence, Coutts regathered after a
kindly bounce who then passed to Gary Johnstone who did well to reach the
Peebles 22, Coutts was again on hand to take the try scoring pass for a
excellent opening score. Peebles replied with a try to tie the scores before
Neil Renwick slotted a penalty to give Hawick the advantage at 8-5. Neil
Renwick then had to be stretchered off with a bad shoulder injury which
required hospital treatment.
Hawick were still down to fourteen men with Craig Charters' sin binning
just before the break and shortly into the second half Peebles took the lead
with a converted try. With the match going into the final quarter it was
Hawick who were threatening the Peebles line, a neat break by scrum half
Rory McPherson saw Bruce McNeil on his shoulder to receive the pass and
crash over at the posts, Craig Neish converted to give Hawick the lead at
15-12. A well struck long range penalty by Neish extended Hawick's lead, the
same player converted a simpler penalty in front of the posts to complete
the scoring. A deserved and hard fought win for Hawick by 21 points to 12
that puts them up to second place in the league.
Team:- 1. Nicky Little, 2. Hue Scammell, 3. Ali Marsh, 4. Keith Miller, 5.
Craig Charters, 6. Danny Landels, 7. Ross Gibson, 8. Bruce McNeil, 9. Rory
McPherson, 10. Dean McCracken, 11. Lee Armstrong, 12. Craig Neish, 13. John
Coutts, 14. Gary Johnstone, 15. Neil Renwick
16. Michael Graham, 17. Gary Lowrie, 18. Matt Landels 19. David Lowrie
