Davidson's 'release' is a massive booster for the Greens
Hawick 29
Kirkcaldy 20
HAWICK surely were grateful for the Reivers' release of Keith Davidson that enabled him to take a key role in a thrilling contest in which Kirkcaldy threatened another upset by creating at Mansfield Park quite a head of steam to lead 20-18 going into the closing quarter.
Davidson's thundering punts were crucial to set-up and clearance; he smacked over a booming drop goal for 13-3 after 24 minutes; posed a threat then delivered an exquisite pass for Colin Turnbull's second try to restore Hawick's lead at 23-20 with 12 minutes left.
The fly-half need only work on his restart kicks to look the rounded article.
In contrast, Kirkcaldy had a neat line in crafty drop out restarts.
The scrummaging was a feature. In the absence of those renowned ''coal face'' denizens Willie Anderson and Danny Herrington the Kirkcaldy edifice squeaked occasionally yet nicked the only strike against the put-in and were sharply observant in exploiting Hawick's depleted scrummage with Alastair Imray in the sin-bin, for a copybook pick-up try by Craig MacDonald who sailed clean through the consequent gap.
When Hawick were penalised for scrummage collapse, a quick tapped penalty launched Kenny Fraser to the line for Ben Price's fourth goal to give Kirkcaldy the lead for the first time at 20-18.
Yet it had been from a Hawick scrummage inching forward that Gareth Walker dived for his side's first try, and Walker also was involved in drive off scrummage ball for the recycling which enabled Turnbull to exploit a yawning gap for his first drive.
Turnbull converted Walker's try and piloted over three penalty goals for 10-0, 26-20 and 29-20 and a personal haul of 21 points.
Hawick weren't as inventive in the scrummage as their rivals who produced occasional electrifying running, notably from Price and Mike Parsons.
However, the Greens have a developing talent in Scott McLeod; made sensible use of loose forwards augmenting the midfield; have an astute operator in Turnbull, and might have boosted their return, but for mishandling with promising situations created.
As for Hawick's coach Ian Barnes, however, he is likely to draw the attention of his disciples to the fact that in the ten minutes that Imray was in the sin-bin, Hawick leaked 14 points.
Hawick - C Turnbull; C Murray, D Hughes, B Wear, R Wire; K Davidson, K Reid; C Dunlea, J Edwards, K Scott (G McLeod, 49min), S McLeod, A Imray, B Keown, G Walker, D Landels (A Stevenson,52).
Kirkcaldy - B Price; C Harvey, C Milne, C Goodall, M Parsons (R Gilmour, 83); Q Samft, R Bethune; M Crossley (M Henderson, 74), S Brown, G Mangela, Jason Syme, K Fraser, Jamie Syme (Owen Cameron, 74), C MacDonald, A Henderson.
Referee: J Fleming (Boroughmuir)
Scoring sequence: Hawick first: 7-0,10-0,10-3,13-3, 13-6, 18-6, 18-13, 18-20, 23-20, 26-20, 29-20.
Scorers: Hawick - Tries - Walker (12), Turnbull (39, 67): Conversions - Turnbull (13), Penalties-Turnbull (18, 70,73), Drop Goal - Davidson (24).
Kirkcaldy: Tries - MacDonald (58), Fraser (62); Conversions - Price (59, 63), Penalties - Price (22, 28).
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