After an untidy victory, (20-7), away to Lismore two weeks ago Dalkeith raised their game to see off Edinburgh Northern last week with a solid bonus point win, (33-7). That completed the league’s first round of matches and left Dalkeith with six wins from six and comfortably at the top of the table. This week saw the start of the return fixtures and Earlston travelling up the A68 to Dalkeith. With winter approaching it was a damp and breezy day but otherwise conditions were good.

Earlston kicked off and Dalkeith set their stall out early. The forwards gathered and carried down field where an early scrum and penalty took them into the Earlston 22. The line out ball was lost but the visitors could only clear to their own 22m line. Dalkeith secured the line-out ball this time and went forward again. Earlston were penalised for a deliberate knock on and the home team took the quick tap to Lock, Gavin Davidson who barged his way over the line from 8 yards out. Mike Wilson converted to put Dalkeith 7-0 ahead after 5 minutes. Shortly afterward, Wilson had to leave the field with a hamstring injury, replaced by Jason Hendrie in the centre and Paul Clugston moving to Stand-off.

During this first period, the home team put the visitors under pressure at scrums and breakdown gaining good territorial advantage. Ten minutes gone and Dalkeith plundered loose ball from an Earlston line, shipping it quickly through the hands for winger, Robbie Lockhart to score. Paul Clugston kicked the goal for a 14-0 lead. The Home side piled on the pressure forcing Earlston back into their own territory. The visitors were awarded a scrum on their own 22 but the Dalkeith pack simply rumbled over them to recover possession, the ball again being thrown wide where some excellent ball handling saw centre, Matt Henderson, cross for his first try of the day. No conversion this time but, after the first quarter, Dalkeith were firmly in the driver’s seat, 19-0. At this point the game went a little static, stuck in the midfield for a period until the half hour mark. A Dalkeith penalty was kicked to touch for a line-out on the Earlston 22m line. The throw was gathered and passed out to Stand-off, Clugston, he put in a beautiful cross field kick that was caught on the run by winger, Piotr Tokarski, who then drew the defence before popping back inside for the Hooker, Greg Jackson, to gather at pace and run in for the try. Paul Clugston added the extras for a 26-0 lead and the bonus point secured.

Earlston dug deep and worked their way into Dalkeith territory, with the help of a couple of penalties and some good passing it looked like they were over for the score in the corner but the ball was spilled as they crossed the line. After a short stoppage for an injured visitor Dalkeith had been awarded the scrum on their own 10m line. The ball was picked up by No8, Kieran Cooney who took it down the blind side. Cutting back in he released the pass in the tackle and the supporting players, forwards and backs combined, turned the visitors defence inside out as they carried the ball down the field where winger, Robbie Lockhart, went in at the corner for his second try of the day. Clugston sent over an excellent conversion from out on the touchline. 33-0. Once again Earlston fought their way into the Dalkeith 22. Playing in injury time at the half they looked to get some points on the board before the break. Their forwards worked through several phases moving the ball out wide where it looked like they must score but, as the final pass was thrown, home winger, Piotr Tokarski, shot into the gap and intercepted before running the length of the park to score under the posts. Clugston duly converted and the half ended with the home side 40 points to the good against the visitors nil.

From the restart the home side started the second half as they’d finished the first. They kicked off only for Earlston to fumble the catch and the Dalkeith forwards recovered possession then rapidly broke up field, hooker Greg Jackson burst free of the pack and drew the full back before popping the ball to centre Matt Henderson who got the ball down on the line to score his second of the day. Clugston’s kick didn’t go over but the score was now 45-0. It was all Dalkeith at this stage and it was only the 48th min before they struck again. This time from a penalty on the Earlston 22. A quick tap and go was carried forward before being passed out to full back, Steve Paton coming into the line at pace and sailing through a hole in the defence to score. This one also went unconverted but the half century was reached, 50-0. Fifty minutes gone and flanker Mike Banks was replaced by Conan McVey.

At this point the home fans could be excused for thinking that Dalkeith were poised to run amok. However, as sometimes happens, the game stalled. A few mistakes crept in and decisions started to go Earlston’s way. A series of penalties favoured the visitors and the match bogged down between the 22’s, see-sawing back and forth as possession repeatedly changed hands. Earlston were striving to take something from the game while Dalkeith sought to regain their earlier momentum. During this period Dalkeith rang the changes. On the sixty minute mark, Props, Halliday and Corcoran were replaced by Paul Mackay and Scott Rae, and 5 mins later, backs, Hendrie and Baines were replaced by Daniel Forbes and Gary Smith. Nevertheless it was into the last ten minutes before Dalkeith regained full control of the game.

In the 73rd min from scrum ball on their 10m line the home side ran the ball out of their own half deep into Earlston territory. Although the defensive tackles went in Dalkeith were quicker to the breakdown and a snapped pass to substitute, Gary Smith, sent him through to score by the posts. Clugston converted to take the score to 57-0. The show was back on the road. Three minutes later and it was Smith again, this time Earlston were penalised for not retiring, Dalkeith elected to take the scrum. The No8 pick up and go was stopped short but, again, the ball was released quickly for Smith at centre, to slip in for his second in 3 minutes. No conversion this time but 62-0 on the board. The game was all but done as a tired and dispirited Earlston kicked off again. Dalkeith gathered the restart and ran the ball out of their own 22, the ball went through too many hands to count as the home side romped up the park before, finally, centre, Matt Henderson rounded off his hat trick with Dalkeith’s last try of the day. Paul Clugston kicked his sixth conversion to make the final score Dalkeith 69 v Earlston 0.

Dalkeith Coach, Neil Wood, admitted he was delighted with the result. He praised the attitude and determination of the team, not only for the win, but for the manner in which they played the match. He stated that, ‘the handling and skills displayed in two or three of the scores were among the best he’d seen all season and our doggedness in defence to keep the clean sheet was outstanding’.

Seven out of seven for the Greens then as they look forward to welcoming the University Medics to Kings Park for the next fixture.