In advance, the feeling was that Watsonians could only improve on their unconvincing display against Ayr, and they soon cranked up the momentum against the hosts. Inside five minutes, Mike Ker had slotted a penalty, and despite Hawks’ attempts to heighten the tempo, they were shapeless and devoid of enterprise in key areas, reflecting the haemorrhaging of talent which has occurred at Anniesland over the past year. Watsonians, too, have suffered in this respect, but their pack were in control from the outset, and Ker was on target again when the Glaswegians collapsed a maul, as the match shifted inexorably in the visitors’ favour.
Without striving to be over-ambitious, they were well disciplined and excellently led by Cammy Mather, their player-coach. It was difficult to recall Hawks finding themselves on the defensive for a such a sustained period, barely able to escape from their own territory. In these circumstances, the game was crying out for a glimmer of inspiration, and Stuart Low almost orchestrated it for Hawks, but with Ker landing his third penalty on the stroke of half-time, Watsonians were in charge.
Hawks engaged in a huddle at the break, which oozed with passion and raised voices. Sadly for them, that intensity was not replicated when the action resumed, Andrew Skeen sweeping through the home rearguard as if they belonged in Madam Tussaud’s to seize the first try. With Ker converting, Mather’s men had a 16-0 cushion.
David Wilson, the home coach, rang the changes as the final quarter beckoned, but his team were being pushed into retreat in nearly every department and it was no surprise when Mather benefited from a clinical catch and drive to plough over.
With the outcome already decided, Richie McKnight, the Hawks replacement, grabbed an opportunistic try, which may have provided some respectability but was no consolation whatsoever to Glasgow’s more realistic aficionados.
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STAR MAN: Andrew Skeen (Watsonians)
Glasgow Hawks: K Daillie; S Low, M Adamson, S Duffy (capt), S Murray; M Strang, K Sinclair (R McKnight 73min), N Cox, M Smith (J Maclay 46min), R Macallum (G Mories 52min), A Dale, A Kelly, G Francis, J Fitzpatrick, S Warnock (E Smith h-t)
Watsonians: S Stumbles; M Coupar, A Skeen, B Di Rollo, A Rowe, M Ker, M Bringhurst, K Traynor (S Stevenson 52min), S Lawrie, K Coertze, I Dryburgh, T Callander (J Nicolson 48min), C Mather (capt), G Hills, W Rowley
Scorers: Hawks: Try: McKnight. Con: Adamson
Watsonians: Tries: Skeen, Mather. Con: Ker. Pens: Ker 3
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Referee: D Changleng (Gala/Peebles)
Attendance: 250