The Hawick squad travelled to Myreside to face Watsonian’s on Saturday, as following last weeks ‘big freeze’ the Premiership finally restarted after the extended holiday break. The Greens were ultimately to fall agonisingly short of what would have been a thoroughly deserved victory, going down by a single point 33-32. Although putting in a tremendous performance, and picking up 2 points from the encounter, it was clear to see from the squads reaction that they felt they left 3 points out there.

Before the game, Captain Shawn Muir led his team out for what was to be his 250th game for the Greens, a truly outstanding shift from a player whose loyalty and commitment to the club is an example to all. 

With both team not having played since the 14th Dec there was always the chance that a few cobwebs would need blown away, however the game began at a furious pace with the Greens showing they were in no mood to allow Watson’s to boss the game.

The Myreside men did get onto the scoreboard first through their backs, and a move where they threw the ball wide stretching the Hawick defence, however the Greens were quick to hit back with a move that saw a delighted Marcus Brogan, (in his first start since week 1 of the season), crossing for the try, duly converted by Kirk Ford.

The Green’s then looked to press on as they set up a line out in their opponents 22, and although the line-out didn’t go quite to plan, Lee Armstrong was alert to the Watson’s back line looking to run out of defence and a deft interception saw him go in under the sticks. Scoreline 7-14.

There then followed an intensely physical period in the game as both sides gave no quarter, looking to gain the upper hand. Although the home side managed the next score from a series of pick and drives on the Green’s line by their forwards, Hawick worked their way back up the pitch until Kyle Brunton spied the gap, and put Andrew Mitchell through the Watson’s defensive line. Mitch beautifully drew the fullback and gave the pass to Matt Reid who galloped in under the posts. Kirk Ford duly converted taking the score to 14-21 with half time approaching. 

The Hawick lads will have been disappointed not to have been able to manage their lead until the break, when following the loss of Armstrong to the sin bin for 10minutes, the home side scored their third try to leave the game evenly poised at 21-21. However, the stroke of half-time Kirk Ford slotted a long range penalty to give Hawick a slender lead at 21-24 with 40 minutes to play.

With Hawick still down to 14, the beginning of the second period saw Watsonian’s exert pressure and use the extra man to their advantage scoring their 4th try, and duly snatching back the lead 26-24 in the process. Then this game see-sawed yet again as Kirk Ford slotted another penalty to make it 26-27.

Following an excellent 50-22 by Kyle Brunton, Hawick the worked a scrum in the middle of the pitch on the ‘Sonian’s 22 and the Greens #9 Gareth Welsh broke blind using his physicality to break 2/3 tackles, pirouetting out of the last before feeding Matt Reid who outstripped the defence to score Hawick’s 4th try of the afternoon. Kirk Ford was unable to slot the conversation but Hawick now led by 26-32.

The Greens were unlucky not to stretch their lead out beyond a converted score as a couple of penalties shaves the posts, and this left the crowd on the edge of their seat as Watsonians pushed for the vital score.

To their credit the home side pressed and drove and although Hawick’s defence was resolute as it had been all day, the home side were able to work the ball wide for their winger to score and most importantly race in close the the posts to make the conversion attempt easier. The kick was duly converted and the Greens found themselves a point down at 33-32.

With no time on the clock a scrum on their own 5 metre line saw Hawick break through scrum half Welsh who got in behind the defence creating panic in doing so. He fed on to Matt Reid who was closed down by two defenders. Hawick recycled the ball however the defence had found their shape again and when the attack broke down, Watson’s were delighted to kick the ball out and take the spoils.

Despite the loss, which was a bitter pill for the lads to take, this was an outstanding performance from the Greens. The youthful quartet of Donaldson, Frizzel, Sutherland and Brogan showed up very well and complimented Hawick’s more experienced forwards, as the pack gave every bit as good as they got from a Watsonian’s pack studded with Super Series players. 

The Greens will now regroup and ready themselves for the visit of Musselburgh to Mansfield Park on Saturday next.🏉💚