Cup remains out of reach

There was a sombre atmosphere at kick off, as the thoughts of fans and players were with Sonny Kiernan and his family. Sonny, a popular player in the Glasgow Hawks youth set up, sadly passed away last week at a tragically young age.

There was a minute’s silence in his memory before kick-off.

As the game began, the southsiders held their own against Glasgow’s biggest club side, Glasgow Hawks, frightening the premier one contenders on a number of occasions.

In the end, Hawks were too much for GHA, winning 33-19 at old Anniesland, but the final result was flattering to the westenders, especially given a certain Niall Cassie try was called back at a critical moment.

Donald Malcolm, in his return to old Anniesland, put in a sterling shift as part of an assiduous back row which also included Paul Harkins and Alan Auld.

Winter Rangi Jericevich told ExtraSport: ““We were extremely disappointed as the game was there to be won but we failed to convert our opportunities at key points.

“The 10 minutes before half time cost us as we shipped a couple of soft tries that put them in the ascendancy.

“This meant we then had to chase the game in the second 40 and we were maybe guilty of trying to play a bit too much rugby in our own half at times.”

While GHA offered guile and creativity, it was the physicality and pace of the Premier one side that proved too much for the visitors.

Jack Steele, who has just been called up to Scotland’s club XV squad, scored a late try which was the final nail in the coffin for GHA’s trophy hopes.

Despite the result, Rangi, whose brother Peter is a former Glasgow Hawks captain, thinks the game has given the team optimism for the future, particularly in nine days time against fourth-place Dundee HSFP.

The flying winger continued: “The challenge for us beforehand was to raise the speed and intensity of our game to a Premiership level and I feel we did that.

“We will use our week off to work on game patterns, particularly in the final third where we need to be more clinical with four tough games coming up against teams in the hunt for promotion.”

Cartha and Whitecraigs, are both without a fixture this weekend.