Tries: S Halliday, K Cooney (2), C Corcoran, M Henderson (2), M Davidson, R Lockhart (4), P Tokarski (2), A McMillan (2), D McMillan, G Smith, A Baines

Cons: M Wilson 10, P Clugston 3

Dalkeith MOM: A Nethery

Dalkeith 1s were on the road again for their third outing in the Tennents East League Div 3. This time saw them down at Double Hedges with Liberton as hosts. Dalkeith brought a full squad of 23 while the home side had only 4 named subs. Weather conditions were fair with a blustery wind. The match proved to be a one sided affair with the visitors in rampant form and a referee who was happy to let the game flow while being firm and fair to both sides.

Dalkeith kicked off into the wind to get the first half under way and from the off they proved the dominant side. During these first few moments the Dalkeith forwards secured both possession and territory, battering at the home defences as they sought to grab control of the match early on. With only 4 minutes on the clock Dalkeith veteran, Stevie Halliday, picked and drove over from a ruck on the home line to score the first, (and technically winning), try. Mike Wilson added the conversion to make it 7 – 0. It was this forward dominance from the visitors that was to prove telling in the first half.

Dakeith were in marauding form, keen to run at the home side and Liberton were forced back into their own 22 for long periods of the first quarter. It was the 10th minute that brought Dalkeith’s second score. After penalty ball was kicked to the Liberton 5m line Dalkeith secured the throw and drove over for No 8, Keiran Cooney to touch down, Mike Wilson converted. Only 2 minutes later and the visitors were back again. From stolen line-out ball on halfway, Dalkeith rumbled a series of phases up the park before prop Claymore Corcoran broke through a couple of tacklers to force his way over for try number 3. Again Mike Wilson obliged with the conversion. 21-0 and the game was only 14 minutes old.
From the restart Liberton seemed to galvanise themselves into action and finally forced their way down field for a short period of play in visitor territory. Awarded a penalty about 30 meters out, they elected to kick for goal and secured their first and only points of the match to make it 3 - 21. Incensed by this intrusion into their half of the field, Dalkeith responded by taking play back into Liberton territory. Dalkeith were proving dominant in the set pieces, too strong for the opposition in the scrums and competing well at the line outs. It was stolen ball at a line-out that allowed Dalkeith to quickly spin the ball wide across field to Winger Matt Henderson who forced his way over in the corner. The conversion went wide in the wind but the bonus point was in the bag with only 25 minutes gone. Dalkeith were in the driving seat and not taking their foot off the gas. Three more scores came before the break, the first from flanker, Mike Davidson taking the ball at pace and crossing the line to run round under the posts. This was followed by Scrum half Pitor Tokarski breaking from the halfway line and hacking on for winger Robbie Lockhart, who scooped up the bouncing ball to cross for try number six. The seventh came from the forwards once more, a pick up and drive from short range by No 8 Keiran Cooney for his second try of the game. All three were converted by Stand-off Mike Wilson. So! Half time and Dalkeith ahead 47 – 3 with Liberton on the ropes and reeling.

Liberton kicked off the second period and sought to reignite their challenge with some better defensive work and for the first 12 minutes of the half they kept Dalkeith at bay. However, the mountain was too high to climb and they had no way back into the game. After the half time team talk Dalkeith were in no mood to relax and finally crossed the line for try number eight in the 52nd minute. Solid scrum ball, released quickly through the backs for winger, Matt Henderson, to score his second of the day, Mike Wilson converted. The game was done. All credit to Liberton for digging in and trying to stem the tide but it was one way traffic from that point on. Dalkeith started to introduce the players from the bench, Scott Rae and Mike Banks replaced Clay Corcoran and Scott Graham. In the 55 minute Rae rumbled 15 yards through the home defence almost to the line before scrum-half, Pitor Tokarski picked up and darted over for an unconverted try. Two minutes later, from the kick off, Dalkeith forwards and backs linked together back down the field for Robbie Lockhart to grab his second of the game, again unconverted. Next up Pitor Tokarski grabbed his second score. From good scrum ball he released the back line and after some good interplay among the Dalkeith players, he popped up to take the scoring pass.

More substitutions, Cooney, Ewart, Paton, Tokarski and Nethery giving way to A McMillan, R Letson, A Baines, G Smith and P Clugston. Another missed conversion but Dalkeith were out of sight by this point. The twelfth try was once again through the back division. 61 minutes gone and some hard running and well timed passing released Robbie Lockhart down the touchline to secure his hat trick. Paul Clugston converted. The home side were visibly out on their feet by this point but Dalkeith hadn’t finished. The last quarter saw the visitors run in another six tries before the referee blew for no-side. Replacement forward Alan McMillan picked up two, the first when Liberton dropped the ball in open play, McMillan picked up and ran it in from 10 meters out and a second after some good support running among the backs who released him to run in unopposed. Another McMillan try in the 72nd minute, but this time it was Darren McMillan’s turn to make the points. Once again Clugston converted. From the kick off the ball was run straight back and replacements Ali Baines and Gary Smith linked up to score try number 15, Baines was through himself but unselfishly shipped it for Smith to score under the posts. Baines himself went in for the penultimate score and the coup de grace was left to Robbie Lockhart who ran in his own fourth try and Dalkeith’s eighteenth. Mike Wilson kicked four of the last five conversions and the match ended Liberton 3 v 116 Dalkeith.

Hooker, Alan Nethery, was unanimously voted Dalkeith’s Man of the Match. Although not among the scorers his was an outstanding display of; hard running, solid tackling, tireless work in the engine room and a leading from the front attitude throughout. Coach, Neill Wood, stated himself well satisfied with the outcome and praised the team’s clinical approach and sustained effort for the entire 80 minutes. An amazing result for the Greens. Three bonus point wins from three games and all on the road.

Next up Gala YM and a home fixture at last.