Dunbar welcomed Gala Y.M to Hallhill for this East 2 League match. The Borders outfit robbed
Dunbar in the previous match between the teams after some poor refereeing.
Dunbar, as normal showed a completely different side from the previous week and on paper looked
strong. The home side secured the bonus try in the first half with five tries playing fast, open
Rugby. Dunbar showed great energy which was not on show the previous week. Gala on the other
hand played a forward orientated game with a single try in the first half which came from a push
over try. John Peebles showed some great determination on the wing to score in the corner. Antoin
Penrose was also at the fore and has been exciting to watch since his return to the Club. The second
row partnership of Moffat and Wilson returned and put in a great shift. Greg Patrizio led the team
with some great drives. Jamie Peters as normal led the back division who put in a much better
performance from the previous week. Dunbar went in at the break 33-7 to the good and would hope
to run away with things in the second half.
Dunbar had been so good in the first half in defence but allowed the visitor’s too much possession in
the second. Skipper Greg Patrizio and Antoin Penrose completed their hat tricks with John Peebles
and youngster Joss Nicol scoring twice. Dunbar continued to play fast flowing Rugby but allowed
Gala to allow their big pack to dominate at times which resulted in two tries from close in. Gala
were strong in the second half and were rewarded with a try bonus point.
Dunbar emptied their bench to give everyone some game time as they completed a 71-34 win as
they keep the pressure on second place Langholm. Dunbar have their last match on the road on
Saturday when they travel to Penicuik and then they finish the season with three home matches.

 

Match report by David Wilson – Chairman Dunbar RFC

Dunbar travelled to Edinburgh to play Corstorphine Cougars, looking to keep the pressure on the top two in the East 2 League. The visitors had to shuffle the team around with Gary Peebles moving from centre into the pack.

 

Dunbar started the stronger and took play into the Corstorphine half from the start. Dunbar had the best chance after 9 minutes when Jamie Peters broke through and offloaded to Walters from a couple of metres but the scrum half knocked on. Play was now very even with both teams struggling to get on the scoreboard. Greg Patrizio had a couple of half chances as did John Peebles but the home defence stood resolute.

 

Corstorphine, were the first to score with a penalty after 25 minutes to give them a 3-0 lead. Dunbar came right back up field and were awarded a couple of penalties that were kicked to the corner. Corstorphine managed to clear each time but Dunbar kept coming back and John Peebles looked to have scored in the corner but the winger had a foot in touch. The referee had been playing advantage and Dunbar had a penalty under the posts. After a couple of drives captain Greg Patrizio got the touch down and Charlton converted to give Dunbar a 7-3 lead after 26 minutes. Both sides again fought for every ball but territory was rarely given up easily. With 35 minutes gone the home side looked likely to score but a knock on at the critical moment let them down. Corstorphine came back and a kick into space gave Dunbar full back Penrose no option but to carry over and give the home side scrum advantage. From the set piece the Corstorphine scrum half burst through to score an unconverted try which was the last play of the half.

 

Dunbar shuffled the team around to try and give a bit more thrust in the back division after the break. It was Corstorphine who scored first after the break after some poor tackling initially gave away a lot of ground. Dunbar came back strong from the restart and Gary Peebles crossed for a try under the posts with Charlton converting. Dunbar were making some great breaks through Patrizio, Peebles and Penrose in particular but it lacked support from the forwards. Corstorphine put over a nice drop goal on 71 minutes to extend their lead to four points. Dunbar tried to make a come-back but could not get over the line and the home side hit them with a sucker punch with a try on 75 minutes. Dunbar finished the match camped on the home try line but could not get anything in return. Too many times Dunbar were guilty of being too predictable and will need to improve for the visit of Gala YM. Dunbar have five home matches and only one away match so will be looking to finish the season strongly.

Final Score – Corstorphine 25 – 14 Dunbar

Match report and photos – David Wilson, Chairman Dunbar RFC

After the disappointment of last week, when Dunbar were robbed of the victory against Trinity the
team met Langholm at home. The weather forecast was atrocious and the Hallhill pitch was
partially frozen early morning. Langholm were keen to travel and the pitch was ever improving so
the match went ahead.
Dunbar were without the suspended Jamie Peters but had on paper one of the strongest teams they
had put out all season.

Dunbar, with the elements went on the front foot from the start and took a well-deserved lead after
just 3 minutes when Antoin Penrose broke a tackle and went over under the posts.

Ross Charlton converted for a 7-0 lead. Dunbar continued to dominate and should have extended their lead but
the referee pulled it back. Josh Nicol had a good run but was brought down short. The young
winger then got his try with a superb solo effort after 18 minutes. Charlton converted for a 14-0
lead. Dunbar were rampant and had a penalty but decided to run it without reward. A second
penalty was awarded and this time Charlton stepped forward to convert the kick on 21. A high
tackle on 24 minutes gave Dunbar another chance and Charlton stepped up for another three
points for a 20-0 lead.

Another penalty was converted a minute later and a try by scrum half Jack
Walters followed to give Dunbar a 28-0 lead after 32 minutes. Dunbar then went to sleep from the
restart and Langholm took their chance with a try and conversion. With time well over the 40
minutes Langholm struck again to complete the first half scoring at 28-12.
Dunbar started the second half well with Callum Champion roaring into the Langholm twenty two.
Langholm managed to clear their lines and took play into the Dunbar half. A neat kick by the
Langholm 10 put Dunbar on the back foot. A clear knock on was missed by the referee and a try
was scored on 46 minutes. Dunbar responded with a penalty a minute later. This was followed by
another penalty on 53 minutes. The weather conditions were getting much worse and the wind was
causing a free problems. The Langholm stand-off then had a great solo run to score after 61
minutes which was converted and it was match on. The visitors then missed a simple penalty kick
after 65 minutes. Langholm then scored another try but the simple conversion was missed. This put
Langholm just five points behind. Langholm then scored again to level things and the conversion
put them ahead with just a couple of minutes remaining. Dunbar managed to win the ball from the
restart and were awarded a penalty 35 metres out. With the wind gusting strongly across the pitch,
the pressure was on Ross Charlton. The Dunbar stand-off did not get good contact and looked to be
going wide but the ball struck the upright and dropped over the bar. Dunbar, for the second week
in a row needed to control the ball for the remaining time. This time they succeeded for the narrow
victory which took them above Langholm. The Dunbar players can now enjoy the xmas break.

Final Score – Dunbar 37 – Langholm 36

Match report and photos courtesy of David Wilson, Chairman Dunbar RFC

Dunbar were on their travels looking to make it three wins in a row against Trinity at Bangholm. Dunbar got off to a good start when Ross Charlton converted a penalty after just one minute. Trinity levelled on five minutes from a similar penalty. On 11 minutes Dunbar seemed to have a simple penalty in front of goal but decided to run the ball with no outcome and Trinity cleared their lines. Trinity went ahead on 20 minutes when their big number eight ran in through many missed tackles. Trinity kept up the pressure and had two kickable chances but elected to scrum allowing Dunbar to clear upfield. Dunbar were dealt a blow on 32 minutes when Captain on the day, Jamie Peters was double yellow carded. This left Dunbar with a big hill to climb. Trinity extended their lead from the resultant penalty. Charlton then kicked a penalty for Dunbar to complete the first half scoring.

Dunbar started the second half well but found themselves further behind when Trinity scored a nice try after a good cross field kick which was converted for a 18-6 lead. This looked too much for the 14 man Dunbar team and it looked like they would be facing an onslaught. Dunbar had other thoughts and Antoin Penrose scored a try from close in converted by Charlton on 55 minutes. Dunbar continued to press playing a simple forward oriented pick and drive with Main and Brown at the fore. Trinity then had a man yellow carded for a dangerous tackle on Main. Dunbar kept up the attack and scored probably the best try of the match when Tom Wight finished off a move.

Charlton converted to give Dunbar a slender lead. Trinity then missed two penalties as they tried to snatch back the lead. Trinity kept up the pressure and a mistake by Dunbar saw the home side crash over in the corner on 72 minutes. With time running out and Dunbar in attack mode the home number eight was carded as Trinity gave away penalty after penalty and many were asking why had it taken the referee so long. Dunbar then threw everything at the Trinity line and Ally Brown crashed over to give Dunbar the lead on 78 minutes. Charlton saw his kick come so close but was just wide.

Dunbar only had to see out the last couple of minutes and seemed to be on course for the win until the referee gave a penalty to Trinity. Dunbar were in possession and there was not a person who could understand the decision given as time was almost up. Trinity kicked the penalty from just inside the Dunbar half and the match was gone.

This is the second week that it seemed to be all about the referee with some strange decisions and constant blowing of the whistle. Dunbar are at home for their last match of 2018 when they host Langholm.

Match Report and Photos – David Wilson, Chairman Dunbar RFC

Dunbar welcomed Earlston RFC to Hallhill, for their first home match in a long time. Both teams struggled early doors to get on top but Dunbar looked the more dangerous. On 9 minutes the match kicked off when the referee yellow carded Daniel Philp and two Earlston back row forwards for an off the ball incident.

Earlston had the first opportunity to get points on the board with a penalty but the kick never threatened. From the twenty two, Matt Wilson gathered the ball and took off into the Earlston half before being high tackled. Dunbar elected to kick to the corner and were within 5 metres of the line. Captain Greg Patrizio was throwing in and the ball came off an Earlston hand back to the Dunbar man who greatfully accepted the early Christmas present. Charlton converted from the touchline for a 7-0 lead after 14 minutes. Dunbar then had Jordan Lister yellow carded for a high tackle. The referee was having a nightmare and both teams were having issues with some of his decisions. From the kick Earlston reduced the deficit with a well taken penalty. Dunbar were now looking much the better team and were a constant threat. A nice chip through by Jamie Peters saw winger John Peebles burst through and looked to have failed to ground the ball. The referee was probably the only person who thought otherwise much to the annoyance of the visitors. Charlton again converted from the touchline. Dunbar lost full back Thomson to what looked a serious injury. Dunbar came back up the field and were rewarded with another try on 29 minutes when prop Marius Hurez touched down with Charlton converting.

Earlston then had their flanker yellow carded on the half time whistle for killing the ball.

Dunbar started the second half with a bang and scored on 42 minutes when Jamie Peters came into the line at close quarters to score with Charlton again successful with the boot. It was then the turn of brother Gary Peters to get in on the act when he finished off a nice move to score and again Charlton was successful. Dunbar had the bit between their teeth and there play was rewarded with the try of the day from winger Josh Nicol who rounded the defence and touched down under the posts. Charlton converted to give his side a 42-3 lead after 59 minutes. Dunbar then thundered down field and centre Gary Peebles crashed through for a try on 61 minutes with Charlton converting for a 49-3 lead with twenty to play. Dunbar failed to score in the final twenty minutes but were guilty of not taking their chances and the match fizzled out.

This was a good performance in wet conditions and with a bonus point, Dunbar move up to third in the table.

 

Match report and Photographs – David Wilson, Chairman Dunbar RFC