The Greens were looking to back up the fine performance they produced in defeating Melrose at the Greenyards last week, as they took on Currie Chieftains on Friday night under the Mansfield Park lights. They did just that, producing a tremendously gutsy performance, which saw them come agonisingly close to taking the spoils from the game, ultimately losing out by 36-40, as the team shared 12 tries between them.
Hawick set their stall out early as slick ball transfer saw Lee Armstrong break from deep and having taken play up to the visitors 22, his centre partner Andrew Mitchell finished off in fine style out wide, Kirk Ford was however unsuccessful with the extras.
Currie came back through their ‘heavyweight pack scoring under the posts, but their lead was short lived as a lightning fast attack from the Hawick backs created the extra man for Fin Douglas to dot down…..Kirk Ford’s peach of a conversion from the touchline took the score to 12-7.
The game seesawed yet again as Currie’s pack drove to the Hawick line and over for a score 12-14. The visitors continued to try to assert themselves further through their big men, but the Greens defence was having none of it and to a man they stood strong. They then turned defence into attack, and from a line-out 5 metres from the Currie line, they drove infield, setting up a big blind which scrum-half Hector Patterson was quick to see, and exploit, Kirk Ford once again on target with the conversion, 19-14.
A lapse in kicking accuracy from defence, unfortunately allowed Currie to set up an attack on the left and they were able to find their way to the Hawick line with some quick handling, tying the scores at 19-19. However once again the Greens didn’t rest and from a slick backs move Kirk Ford’s break took play to a meter out, where quick thinking by winger Fin Douglas, saw him first to react as he picked up and dived over for his second and Hawick’s bonus point try. As the halftime whistle went Hawick had their noses in front at 24-19.
5 minutes into the second half a smart kick charge down saw Hector Patterson first to react as he beat the Currie defence to touchdown, from the touchline out the conversion strayed wide making it a 10 point game, 29-19.
With the experienced, and heavyweight bench Currie had in waiting, the Greens knew they would be challenged in the second half and it proved to be the case as the Chieftains capitalised during this period to score three tries of their own, leaving the Greens 29-40 down with 15 to play. However if the visitors thought they had quietened the home support, they were rudely awakened as a fine passage of pressure play from the Greens, saw them repeatedly drive at the Currie defence until, following multiple phases, scrum-half Patterson threw out an audacious long pass, cutting out the defenders and finding winger Charlie Welsh for a terrific score, Ford’s touchline conversion flew through the uprights and it was game on at 36-40 with 5 minutes to play.
Hawick did all they could to find a way back up the park, however it wasn’t to be, and as the clock ran out, you could see how welcome the final whistle was to Currie as their hooker hoofed the ball off the pitch to end the game.
Although obviously disappointed to come up just short, this was a performance which went a long way to restoring the pride the lads have in the Green jersey, and demonstrate the outstanding work dine by the coaching team thus season with our young squad. The lads will now reset and prepare for their final league match of the season which will see them head to Troon next Saturday, to face a Marr side who are fighting for Premiership survival.
