Fourteen weeks without a home game and 11 weeks on from their last league game, Dundee HSFP were almost guaranteed to be a little off the pace as they returned to Premier A action against Glasgow Hawks on Saturday, but the surprise was how slick and clinical the visitors were.
The Hawks have hardly had it much better through the winter snows, their last league outing coming on November 20, and like Dundee they had one cup game in preparation for this match, but their exemplary record of never having lost at Mayfield was maintained with their deserved 37-20 victory, even if the margin of victory was a little harsh on the home side.
The enforced break came at the wrong time for Dundee, just after they had won at title favourites Ayr and looked set for a second-half surge, and instead they’ve had to regroup thanks to what amounts to a virtual close-season in mid-season.
“That’s about as intense a game as we’ve had all season,” reckoned Dundee director of rugby Ian Rankin.
“The ref Andrew McMenemy has been doing Magners League games and even he was impressed with the physicality today, but there’s no way you can prepare for that kind of intensity by training for two months on Broughty Beach or in the gym.”
Dundee played as they are truly capable only for fleeting moments, most notably the frantic nine minutes midway through the first half in which they scored three tries in quick succession to turn a 14-3 deficit into a 20-14 lead.
Danny Levison’s barnstorming run straight from the kick off after Richie Hawkins’ first try for the home side brought his team an immediate second score for Stewart Coleman, and Rick McKenna’s perfect cross- kick allowed Matt Smith to get the third, but these were the only real times the Hawks’ intimidating rush defence was caught out.
Mike Adamson lifted his side back to level terms by the break with two penalties.
With Hawks recycling possession with precision and at speed during the second half, Dundee faced long periods without getting their hands on the ball-and a yellow card, shown to the largely blameless Harry Duthie, was almost inevitable.
While Duthie was off, lock Ross Miller galloped up the touchline to score a crucial try, the experienced Mike Adamson landed the conversion and a later penalty, leaving a 10-point deficit the home team tried to assault in the final 10 minutes.
Three scrummages on the Hawks’ line were repulsed, and eventually the visitors won a crucial turnover.
However with one play left on the clock, rather than booting to touch, they attacked from their own 22, the outstanding Dundee-born centre Dean Kelbrick (that’s the Dundee in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa) led the charge and Hawks’ back row Grant Strang went over for the bonus-point fourth try.
If that point from such adventure is the one that eventually helps the second-placed Hawks to the league title, then they’ll deserve every bit of credit going.