BT Premiership

MARR RUGBY 17

HAWICK 29

(Match sponsor George McLachlan supporting Heartstart Ayrshire)

By Kevin Quinn

Pictures: Ken Ferguson

MARR Rugby’s season just got a bit harder as they let Hawick control most of the match and as a result ended up with a lot to think about while the visitors took home a bonus point win.

As winter’s freezing temperatures wiped out most of the club rugby action across Scotland, including Marr’s 2s and 3s away fixtures, Hawick travelled to Fullarton to play Marr, whose ground staff had worked wonders to make sure the pitch was playable but were left ruing about the benefit of their effort as raging hot Hawick blew the home side away.

It was a comprehensive performance from Hawick who dominated for almost 60 minutes before Marr finally woke up and realised they were supposed to be in the match. By that time it was too little too late as Hawick were already enjoying a commanding 24-point lead.

Power play for Hawick’s pack was the key to success. Central to this was captain Bruce McNeil who was almost at his best in attack and defence and generally running the game. The marker was quickly placed within five minutes as Hawick won a penalty from a scrum and kicked for the corner. While Marr were able to repel repeated assaults on their line the scene was set for the pattern to follow. Scrum, penalty advantage and kick to the corner provided a perfect platform for Hawick’s attack. In 12 minutes, McNeil was the final ball carrier in a series of pick and goes as he bulldozed through the defence to touch down.

Five minutes later try two was scored. Another penalty kicked to the corner but this time from the lineout the ball was spread wide and Gary Munro scorched his way to the corner.

At various times, Mackenzie Pearce, Angus Johnston and Ross Miller all made good ground but well-organised defence from Hawick made sure any gaps were quickly plugged. Kaleem Bareto worked hard to try to link pack and backs but again Hawick’s blitz defence interrupted any real flow.

Hawick were always looking out for chances and winning a turnover they counter-attacked from deep with scrum half Greg Cottrell making the decisive break. As the cover defence closed him down he flicked a deft reverse pass to Guy Graham who raced to the line to score.

During the second quarter Marr got more time on the ball but made no real inroads as they were continually harried and forced into errors. On the half hour an injury to Marr prop Fraser Watt led to a ten minute break in play as he was treated on the pitch before being stretchered off. His departure put Marr’s scrum under even more pressure.

Marr’s woes continued at the restart kick-off as they put the ball straight into touch. A centre spot scrum was the perfect platform for Hawick to continue the mayhem. And so it came to be. Within five minutes of the start of the second held Hawick grabbed the important bonus point try. Attacking waves eventually split open Marr’s defence and Lee Armstrong strolled in for a converted try.

This finally sparked Marr into life. They started to show the energy, cohesiveness and threat that had led to their win at Mansfield in September. In 50 minutes Pearce scored a try r as he barged through from close range. As Marr upped their tempo, Hawick were patient. They counter-attacked with regularity and this kept pushing Marr back into their own half. In 70 minutes Ross Coombe got the fifth and final try to see Hawick home and dry. Marr never gave up but it was too little too late as they added two tries. The first was from Scott Bickerstaff and the score came after Marr charged down and pounced on a Hawick clearance kick in their 22 metres area and set up several attacking phases ending with Scott Bickerstaff scoring from close range. The pick of Marr’s tries came after Ewan Bulger broke through Hawick’s defence and raced 50 metres. As he was caught and tackled he perfectly offloaded to Angus Johnston, who completed the score.

The final whistle brought joy to Hawick who had successfully exorcised the pain of the loss at Mansfield and closed the gap with Marr and Boroughmuir in the relegation dog-fight. The result means Marr have an even bigger hill to climb as they target Premiership survival.