Hawick Royal Albert 7
Berwick Rangers Reserves 3
EoS FIRST DIVISION
JOHN SLORANCE reports from Albert Park
HAWICK ROYAL ALBERT were in seventh heaven on Saturday and they had every reason to be.
Lawrie Dunn’s outfit not only rattled away their biggest goal tally for some considerable time – Jay Paterek and Kris O’Neil both notched hat-tricks and local schoolboy Steven Drummond netted a penalty – but they also conjured up some excellent football that had their young supporters cheering, singing and dancing in the stand.
The delighted Albert player/manager told TheSouthern: “It’s difficult to put into words how I feel, but I could start with fantastic.
“Two hat-tricks for Hawick players in the same game – I think that is just brilliant. A win like this was overdue as we have been playing well enough, but not scoring goals – costing us points.
“This was a great win for Hawick, not just for the team, but our young fans, whose support is just unbelievable.”
The Teries got off to a dream start by opening the scoring in the fourth minute. After latching onto a Jason Wood pass, Paul Power rounded Berwick keeper Connor Wood and rattled in a shot that full back Elliot Grieve kept out with his hand. A penalty was awarded and Grieve red-carded. O’Neil took the penalty and sent Wood the wrong way with a perfectly-placed shot.
Three minutes later, though, Berwick equalised. Callum Hill floated over a free kick and Sam Young rose well to score.
With 14 minutes gone, 10-man Berwick sailed ahead. Young heading a Hill cross home.
Within three minutes, Hawick were on level terms. Craig Beattie sprayed a pass to the feet of Paterek, who shot past the helpless Wood.
In the 29th minute Paterek put the home men ahead with a glorious drive after being set up by an O’Neil lay-off.
Towards the interval, Wood prevented Hawick from going further ahead with a magnificent diving save from Andy Noble.
With two minutes of the second half gone, Hawick added to their tally through Paterek.
In the 54th minute, Hawick went nap. After slipping a pass to Power, O’Neil collected a return pass and tucked in a shot.
Although having an uphill task on their hands, 10-man Berwick continued to battle, and in the 69th minute the Black and Golds reduced the leeway when Young notched his hat-trick.
Six minutes from time, O’Neil got his threesome by driving a Power cut-back past Wood.
The scoring wasn’t quite over.
With the game almost finished, O’Neil was brought down in the box by Ross Burns. It was another penalty which O’Neil was expected to take.
The Albert striker, however, handed the ball to 15-year-old Drummond, who had just come on as a substitute, and the youngster duly scored from the spot with a perfectly-struck shot.
Royal Albert: A. Jack, G. McCall (S. Laughlin), J. Wood, L. Dunn, J. McGhie, P. Power, C. Beattie, K. O’Neil, J. Paterek (S. Drummond), D. May (D. Thomson).