Glasgow Hawks ... 30

Watsonians .......... 10

So the Hawks take it to the wire with this deserved win, and we have a season coming to something of a climax, with the Five Nations going well and the club scene wanting attention.

Well, it was not a classic, but it was nevertheless a rugby match, with all the frailties, errors, and excitement that a game between two club sides could muster.

The Hawks - with a pack that, hand-on-heart, is not mobile enough to cut it to second, third, and fourth phase and which left some of its backs isolated on the attack - were suicidal in their own danger area at times, and the final irony was that the last try came from launching a move on their own line.

Ah well, if you charge entrance money you have to entertain, and the biggest shock for fans was that Harry Bassi, who by now must be in his sixties, was as strong as anyone on the park at full back.

The Hawks pack, with Andy Plastow again a class apart, especially erupting onto the ball, Chris Docherty an eager worker, Chas Afuakwah rising above it all at the lineout, and Murray Wallace and Scott Hutton better than most at supporting and continuing attacks, was just too strong for Watsonians.

The Edinburgh blokes had their power in the backs, where Scott Hastings lurked but did not get enough ball, while their biggest threat seemed to be substitute back Andrew Taylor. Up front, Gordon Dickson battled well, as did Danny Porte on the odd breenge, but they were never going to shake free from the shackles of a stronger team.

After a glorious break from Aussie Plastow, the game came alight. The first try arrived as Fergus Wallace and David Wilson went on the attack, and Harry Bassi, of GHK of old, threw away his zimmer to run straight over. Bassi actually looked one of the best players on the pitch, and as strong as an ox.

Watsonians' Bruce Aitchison missed three kicks at goal, whereas Hawks' Eugene Martin banged over two penalties, as well as the conversion, for a half-time lead, and the comfort of going into the second half points up and with the westerly wind behind his team's backs and a clear sight of the scoreboard. When will visiting teams learn just how to play at New Anniesland?

Aitchison's penalty brought some sense back to the Edinburgh team's effort before the Hawks camped on the line and a pushover try was neatly flopped on by Plastow.

However, Watsonians ran up the other end, put together some continuity, and as the ever-ricky Andy Garry, a former Glasgow Accies player, remember, went dodging closer to the line he flopped over backwards to score.

All entertaining, but, in truth, when you watch Five Nations rugby one week and Scottish club rugby the next the age old question arise: Is this adequate preparation for a bigger stage?

A supplementary question could well be as to just what we are watching as all the top players are missing, but there you are.

Now, a little secret. Ever since Bill MacDonald, the coach, went to Waikato in the summer, if the Hawks have a lineout near the opposing line they just catch and drive and maul for the try.

And so the industrious Chris Docherty latched onto a lineout take by the Hawks and over the pack went. Docherty's try. That was touchdown number three.

However, Hawks were now looking for try number four to give them a bonus point if they were to continue keeping pressure on Heriot's at the top of the league. However, a score was not going to come easily.

First of all, winger Torquil Mathewson's dart was halted by Hastings, then Plastow erupted once again. But he, too, was halted.

However, Watsonians were not lying down and pretending to be dead, so they headed up to the other end of the pitch.

To disbelieving shouts from the crowd, though, the Hawks backs moved the ball metres from their own try line. In a twinkling of an eye David Wilson was at half-way, and Torquil Mathewson roared in from Wilson's pass. A satisfactory day for the Hawks, who keep up their challenge after a mid-season hiccup, and Harry Bassi kicked away his zimmer on the way to the bar.

Plastow caught a few koala bears, your man Van der Merwe ate some biltong, and Eugene Martin and Gavin Walsh spoke of pumpkin and possums.

Yes, you really know where you are with Scottish club rugby.

Not a classic game, but not bad.

Glasgow Hawks - H Bassi; T Mathewson, M McGrandles, D Wilson, G Hawkes; E Martin, C Little; K Horton, C Docherty, G Walsh (M Blackie, 50min), S Hutton, C Afuakwah, F Wallace, M Wallace, A Plastow.

Watsonians - S Hastings; G Inglis, M di Rollo (A Taylor, 40), A Garry, P Raeburn; B Aitchison, J Weston; G Scott, D Henderson (A Moffat, 29-35), D Porte, M McVie, G Hayter (J Van der Merwe, 44), G Dickson, N Penny, C Crawford.

Referee - J Fleming (Boroughmuir)

Scorers: Glasgow Hawks: Tries - Bassi (15min), Plastow (46), Docherty (57), Mathewson (85). Conversions - Martin (15, 85). Penalties - Martin (27, 29). Watsonians: Try - Garry (51), Conversion - Aitchison (51). Penalty - Aitchison (46).

Scoring sequence - 7-0, 10-0, 13-0 (half-time) 13-3, 18-3, 18-10, 23-10, 30-10.