Hawick 13 - 23 Glasgow Hawks: Hawick remain winless at home after 'dubious' try helps Hawks

GLASGOW Hawks ground out a result to leave Hawick still without a league win at home this season - and immediately won praise from coach Peter Wright.

"A lot of the guys have never played at Hawick, but they enjoyed it," Wright said. "It is never easy to win here, but we defended very well, particularly in the second half. It was a good result for us."

Wright, however, agreed that Hawks' third try by Kris Hamilton was "dubious" after the scrum-half seemed to bounce the ball over the line following a break from his own half and a kick ahead into open space.

Referee Andrew Healy awarded the score - but Hawick coach Derek Armstrong also believed that it should not have been given.

"(Hawick winger] Steven Anderson said that it bounced. Even Peter Wright agreed. I do not think the referee was up with play," said Armstrong. "But I was proud of the ways the boys played and I could not ask for more."

Although Hawks won the try-count 3-1, Hawick were in the frame for even a losing bonus point, but with replacement hooker Hue Scammell in the sin-bin, Andy White banged over an injury-time penalty to clinch the game.

Hawks were strengthened by the inclusion of professionals, Kevin Tkachuk and Aly Muldowney, and for spells the forwards pushed Hawick back on their own line. However, the home side gained more control after the break with the inclusion of Lewis Niven and Alex Dunbar, who made several searching breaks in both halves of the match.

Hawks led 13-6 at the interval with tries from Kris Hamilton and Rory Hamilton and a White penalty to two early penalties from Neil Renwick.

Kris Hamilton's controversial second try and White's conversion did not subdue Hawick, who replied with a score from Rory Hutton, who also converted.

Bruce McNeil and Dean Kelbrick were also each yellow-carded, but it was White's late score that knocked the stuffing out of a gallant Hawick team.

Scorers. Hawick: Try, Hutton. Con, Hutton. Pens, Renwick (2) Glasgow Hawks: Tries, K Hamilton (2), R Hamilton. Con, White. Pens, White (2).

Hawick: G Hogg; N Renwick, G Johnstone, A Dunbar, S Anderson; R Hutton, G Cottrell; A Marsh, L Gibson, S Linton, C Charters, M Robertson, N Mactaggart, K Davies, B McNeil. Subs used: H Scammell, L Niven, D Lowrie, C Robertson, A Wear.

Glasgow Hawks: R Hair; J White, D Kelbrick, D Milne, K Gossman; A White, K Hamilton; A Smith, E Milligan, K Tkachuk, R Hamilton, A Muldowney, R McKay, B Karalus, R Miller. Subs used: N Campbell, G Hunter, G Strain, G Strang, T Preece.

Referee: A Healy.