Waverley on top in Hawick derby

Taylor Hope, in black, has the ball for Hawick Waverley (picture by Bill McBurnie)

Hawick United....................0

Although making heavy weather of it, Hawick Waverley gained the bragging rights in this local derby clash before a big crowd at Wilton Lodge Park, writes John Slorance.

In gaining full points, table-topping Waverley kept on track in their bid to become Border Amateur ‘A’ Division champions for the third season on the bounce.

Their chances of pulling off a remarkable hat-trick were strengthened with the fall of fellow challengers Langlee at the hands of Tweeddale Rovers.

Despite scoring four goals, Waverley could well have won by a bigger margin, had they made the most of their many scoring chances.

Waverley made the running from the start and, in the second minute, were denied a goal by the woodwork when Scott Duncan drove Lewis Robertson’s cross against the post.

After Taylor Hope and Duncan came near to scoring, Waverley opened their account in the 14th minute with a perfectly-taken penalty by Taylor Hope.

Within a minute, Waverley doubled their score through a top-notch strike from Duncan, who found the net with a shot on the volley when connecting with a Grant Gass cross.

With Waverley having scored twice in the first quarter of an hour, the floodgates could well have opened with United being swept away – but this wasn’t to be the case.

The rest of the first half saw Waverley rule the roost but, apart from a Jordan Yardley strike in the 28th minute, no more goals arrived through poor finishing, in which a host of chances were squandered.

Following the changeover, United began to make their mark a little more. Waverley, however, were still in the driving seat – but they couldn’t put any chances away until the 82nd minute.

A good move down the right ended in Adamo Antonacci spraying a pass into the path of Ewan Thomson, who fired home.

Minutes from time, Waverley ‘keeper Ali Willison prevented United from reducing the leeway with a fine save from Charlie Mitchell.

Waverley boss Mick Hope said: “In the first half, in particular, we ran the show and scored three goals but it could well have been eight.

“The second half saw us take the foot of the gas but we got the win we were after and that will do me.”