We have our first league win but we are under no illusions

The worrying sequence of defeats is over and Hawick are off the bottom of the Tennent's Premiership after scoring their first win.
Ali Grieve of Hawick tries to forage his way through the Accies line (picture by Alwyn Johnston).Ali Grieve of Hawick tries to forage his way through the Accies line (picture by Alwyn Johnston).
Ali Grieve of Hawick tries to forage his way through the Accies line (picture by Alwyn Johnston).

However, while feeding on the confidence that a long-awaited win can initiate, George Graham and his players know there is still a long way to travel.

And their reward for that much-coveted victory – 32-28 over Edinburgh Accies at Mansfield Park – is just about the hardest test which could have confronted them.

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The Robbie Dyes travel to Millbrae on Saturday to face league leaders Ayr – unbeaten at the top with a maximum bonus point win record.

Graham knows the enormity of the task but said Hawick would simply have to try and be clinical and take any opportunities which arose.

He added that honesty had been a big part of the success against Accies.

“Myself and the boys have been pretty honest with each other, on our failings and what we needed to get right,” he said. “Our training sessions were honest – again, a lot was pointed out regarding what we wanted and things we needed to do. But I’ve always said the boys’ attitude has been outstaning and they showed that at the weekend. There was a lot more desire and a lot more accuracy. We never made as many errors as we have been doing, although we still made quite a few.

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“There’s still a long way to go but we have to take the little bit of confidence we get from winning that game – it’s a massive game away to Ayr, who are very much the in-form team. We just need to go there and try and execute what we have practised. We need to concentrate on what we can do well, particularly in defence.”

Graham thought Hawick’s defence was much better in the first half against Accies, before disappointingly falling away for part of the second.

“But, at the end of the day, we showed a lot of character to come back and finish the game off and win,” he said.

Dom Buckley and Ruaridh Macleod both suffered severe injuries on Saturday and could be out fairly long-term.