Dundee HSFP 32 - 33 Glasgow Hawks: Hawks hold on to edge thriller

HAWKS coach Peter Wright's pre-match assessment of this encounter as "a potentially cracking game" proved to be an understatement as he watched his side edge out Dundee HSFP in a remarkable match.

The outcome hinged on a last-gasp conversion by Dundee substitute Barry Jones, who looked on in frustration as his wide-angled effort drifted wide.

His coach, Ian Rankin, was quick to apportion the blame for the defeat to the entire team, however, pointing out that slack defence earlier in the match had been to blame for the defeat rather than the fateful final kick. He said: "It was an awesome finish but we should never have been in that position having conceded so many soft scores."

Rankin, whose side had led the match 17-13 at half-time, added: "We were very disappointed to let them back in at key times in the game."

Matt Whittleston led the Hawks touchdown charge with a double, the other coming from Peter Jericevich, while Weir was in great form with the boot to slot all the conversions and four penalties – which ultimately proved crucial to his side's narrow win.

Danny Levison went over twice for the Taysiders, their other tries falling to Fleming and Andy Dymock.

Fleming, who shared the kicking duties with Jones, grabbed a conversion while Jones kicked two conversion and a brace of penalties.

Rankin picked out Hawks playmaker Weir as the man who sparked Wright's side.

He said: "The lad was outstanding and he kicked very well. But we scored some fantastic tries ourselves, the pick of which was the one from James Fleming."

Scorers: Dundee: Tries – Levison, Fleming, A Dymock. Cons – Fleming, Jones 2. Pens – Jones 2. Hawks: Tries – Whittleston 2, Jericevich. Cons – Weir 3. Pens – Weir 4.

Dundee HSFP: A Horton; M Smith, H Duthie, R Lemon, J Fleming; C Ferguson, A Dymock; N Dymock, J Clark, A Brown, C Cumming, R Cessford, S McKee, G Ryan, D Levison. Subs: D Russell, D Young, E Grewar, S Dreyer, B Jones.

Glasgow Hawks: A White; R Hair, M Adamson, G Harkness, C Gossman; D Weir, P Jericevich; G Strain, J Maclay, J Stafford, C Harvey, M Whittleston, R McKay, G Oomman, G Strang. Subs: R Hamilton, E Morrison, K Gossman.

Referee: D Walker.