Dalkeith RFC v Dunbar RFC
Saturday 25th October 2025
Match Report and Photos by Alex Coull
Dalkeith 0 Dunbar 87
Dunbar made the short trip to Kings Park Dalkeith for this latest game in East Region League 1.
The home side kicked off and immediately put themselves under pressure as the kick went out on the full. From the resulting scrum the visitors put their opposite numbers under the cosh, and the ball was moved quickly creating the space for Thomas Usher to break clear, he then kicked ahead and a grateful Gregor Ronan reacted the quickest to gather the ball and score by the posts. Robbie Cockburn converted to increase the lead to seven points.
Next to shine was Rowan Armatage who drove deep into Dalkeith’s half with a strong rampaging run and Gregor Ronan then broke blind, but the promising move broke down after a knock-on. Despite this setback the home scrum was disrupted and the home kick ahead was loose and the Dunbar backs quickly moved the ball to Thomas Usher who sprinted up the touchline but passed inside to Mike Wimbledon-Hall who scored out wide. Another successful conversion took the score to 0 – 14.
The home side were under constant pressure and after another raking touch finder by the visitors. The home throw was secured by a grateful Struan Lugton who showed great pace to storm over for another try. Robbie Cockburn judged the wind to perfection to slot the conversion between the sticks.
There followed a spell with both sides overusing the kicking game which were easily defended. Dunbar next threatened when another simple passing move saw Robbie Cockburn given the opportunity to run deep into the home twenty-two only to be denied by a last-ditch tackle. From the resulting lineout Dunbar regained possession and the home defence were again stretched but were relieved by a loose pass ending in a knock-on. From the resultant scrum the home back-row tested the fringe defence and were met with aggressive counter-rucking and the ball was again moved at pace for Robbie Cockburn to pass inside to the supporting Mike Wimbledon-Hall to stroll over for Dunbar’s bonus point try after only twenty three minutes. The conversion was successful.
The visitors were now dominating the possession figures and they again stole another loose home lineout and good hands saw the move break down as the kick ahead was too long allowing the home side an opportunity to test the visitor’s defence which was resolute and forced a handling error. From the scrum the ball was again moved at speed and a grateful Thomas Usher outsprinted his opposite number to score in the corner.
Dalkeith remained persistent despite ongoing challenges and managed to capitalize on a rare dropped pass, which provided them with an opportunity. However, Dunbar were dominating the scrums and after a series of forward and back interplay it was Gregor Ronan who was given the space to sprint clear for another try. The easy conversion brought up the forty points for the visitors.
Dunbar again varied their attack by kicking long and a poor clearance kick by a home player was gathered by Kyle Gallacher who set off on a mazy run deep into the Dalkeith twenty-two and a perfectly timed pass inside to Thomas Usher completely wrong-footed the covering defence allowing him the room to score by the posts. The conversion followed and Dunbar’s scoring rate was now better than a point a minute.
With half time fast approaching what appeared to be a loose kick ahead by Dunbar saw an even poorer attempt to clear by the home back and a grateful Mike Wimbledon-Hall gathered the ball and nifty footwork then allowed him to sprint clear for what was Dunbar’s eighth try. Robbie Cockburn slotted the kick between the uprights to take the score to 0 – 54.
Dunbar kicked off the second half with the winter sun on their backs and were again quickly on the front foot pressurising their plucky opponents in all facets of the game and it was Callum Ross who stormed on a barnstorming rum deep into the home twenty-two. Again, good handling saw Robbie Logan hand off a would-be tackler to sprint clear for a well-worked try. Gregor Ronan took over the kicking duties and duly added the conversion points,
As the temperature dropped the visiting touchline support were warmed by the continuing pressure being exerted by both backs and forwards and it was only a lack of patience resulted in over-elaborate passes being attempted and scoring opportunities being missed. Undeterred the visitors continued to probe and after the forwards drove deep into the home twenty-two and when the ball was recycled quickly and Kyle Gallacher threw an outrageous dummy to sprint clear for an easy try. The conversion raised the score to 0 – 68.
Not to be outdone the Dunbar forwards were next to shine and when Dylan Sammels broke clear he then threw a sublime reverse pass to a beaming Jack Gabbatiss who swallow-dived his way over the tryline for a popular try. The conversion attempt drifted wide.
Entering the last quarter, it was Thomas Usher who was next to sidestep his way past the shell-shocked home defence setting up a ruck opportunity from which the ball was swiftly moved to John Peebles who needed no invitation to power his way over for another excellent team try. Gregor Ronan’s conversion brought up the eighty point mark.
Urged on by their vociferous touchline support the forwards and backs combined to encamp themselves in the home twenty-two and the ball was again moved at speed creating the space for Robbie Logan to sprint clear and score Dunbar’s thirteenth try. A successful conversion followed, and then the game was brought to a premature end with both sets of supporters looking forward to a further ten minutes of play.
An excellent team performance which saw a depleted home side put to the sword and such is the pride and fitness of this young side they were just as pleased to score thirteen tries as they were to deny Dalkeith any points.
This week Dunbar are looking forward to a Friday night under the lights visit to Tranent to play a National Shield Round 2 match against Ross High.
