Glasgow Hawks 12 - 51 Currie: Smith stands outs as hot Currie score 50 points for second successive week

AFTER their three losses on the trot start to the season, suddenly Currie are hot, as they proved with this second successive 50-point win over the best the west has to offer.

Last week’s victory over Ayr was based on scrummage power; on Saturday, denied this by a move to unopposed scrums – when Hawks ran out of props after 35 minutes, it was Currie’s all-round game which came up trumps.

“I felt we were better this week than last and with all four of our teams winning, this has been a very good day, at the end of a very good week, for the club”, said coach Ally Donaldson. The coach again praised his pack, but he and the watchers at Old Anniesland had to be pleased with the contribution of former England Under-20 winger David Smith, who was a stand-out for the winners.

Hawks’ Peter Wright was magnanimous in defeat. “Currie trapped well, got on the front foot and played exceptionally well in scoring some super tries,” he said. “Currie and Melrose are easily the best teams in the league, but my concern now is getting us up for another huge game at Ayr on Satuday, which will be hard.”

An early Jamie Forbes penalty and tries from Barry Mansfield, Ross Weston, replacement Alan Whittingham – with his first touch – and John Cox had Currie’s bonus point tied up by the break; Hawks had only a Kerr Gossman try to show in return. From 27-5 up at the turn-round, Currie ratcheted up the pace in the second half. Cox and Mansfield both added second tries, as did Hawks’ Kerr Gossman; while for the victors, Richard Snedden and Smith got on the scoresheet with tries; Forbes contributed four conversions as well as his early penalty and Hawks’ Mikey Martin goaled the second Kerr Gossman try to complete the scoring.

Scorers: Glasgow Hawks: Tries: K Gossman (2); Conversion: M Martin. Currie: Tries: B Mansfield (2), R Weston, A Whittingham, J Cox (2), R Snedden, D Smith; Conversions: J Forbes (4); Penalty Goal: Forbes.

Glasgow Hawks: C Gossman, T Steven, P Robinson, R Wilson, K Gossman, M Martin, P Jericevich; S Findlay, E Milligan, C Williamson, R McKay, A Kirkland, R Hamilton, B Karalus, S Leckie. Subs used: P Henderson, J Macfarlane, L Kinsey, G Macdonald, K Hamilton.

Currie: J Forbes, B Mansfield, D Fife, A MacMahon, D Smith, A Binikos, R Snedden, J Cox, F Scott, C Phillips, A Best, G Temple, M Cairns, M Entwhistle, R Weston. Subs used: B Elmslie, R Merrilees, S Burton, S Marcell, A Whittingham.

Referee: N Patterson.