Langholm RFC v Dunbar RFC
Saturday 13th September 2025
Match Report by Finlay Graham & Alex Coull
Photos by Colin Martin
Langholm 36 Dunbar 31
It was a much-changed Dunbar team that travelled to Milntown to play Langholm in this latest match in their East Region 1 league campaign.
The home side kicked off and a knock on from the visitors gave the home side a scrum in the twenty-two and they tested the visiting defence with a series of plays which resulted in a penalty for a no-arms tackle and the home side took a quick tap and Dunbar were again penalised for not retiring the requisite ten metres and this time the home side opted for the kick and successfully converted to take the score to 3 – 0.
The visitors continued to put themselves under pressure by firstly not travelling ten metres from the kick off. Fortunately, they were awarded a penalty to Dunbar on the ten-metre line for a high tackle after some welcome possession. Unfortunately, the resultant kick failed to find touch and Langholm made inroads towards Dunbar’s twenty-two and from a scrum they kicked through and secured possession from the resultant lineout. The home side reclaimed possession and moved the ball through the hands to encamp themselves close to the Dunbar tryline. A series of forward drives tested the Dunbar defence which proved effective and they relieved the pressure with a turnover penalty.
The home side continued to dominate, and they were rewarded when they secured another penalty for not releasing. The kick was duly dispatched between the posts to double the lead to 6 – 0.
Dunbar finally rewarded their supporters when they attacked from deep and great interplay between both forwards and backs saw the space created for Finlay Milne race away and score under the posts. A successful conversion saw Dunbar take the lead by 7 – 6 after eighteen minutes.
This score clearly rattled the home side, but their response was swift and effective when good interplay between forwards and backs saw a try scored in the corner. An excellent conversion took the score to 13 – 7 for Langholm.
Next to threaten were the visitors and after winning the ball on the halfway line two quick passes out to Sandy Graham on the wing allowed him to break away and time his pass inside to the supporting Mike Wimbledon-Hall to run under the posts for another fantastic try. The conversion followed and Dunbar again led by a single point.
Undeterred by this response the home side forced Dunbar to concede yet another penalty in a kickable position and they duly converted it to regain the lead.
With half time approaching Ross Thomson showed great pace and skill to retain possession from the kick off and their pressure was rewarded with a penalty which was taken quickly and after a series of driving saw a deft kick through by Kyle Gallacher saw Mike Wimbledon-Hall win the race to touchdown for the try. A successful conversion saw the visitors reach half-time leading 21 – 16.
The second half saw the home side secure a lineout inside Dunbar’s twenty-two and after doughty defence had kept the visitors at bay an unfortunate knock-on. The resultant scrum saw Langholm pick and go and after two rucks they powered over for a well-worked try. The successful conversion was Langholm lead 23 – 21.
Both teams were contributing to a thrilling encounter and after a fantastic break by Dunbar’s Dan Martin saw him drive into Langholm’s twenty-two and quick recycling saw Kyle Gallacher split the home defence with a grubber kick which was collected by Mike Wimbledon-Hall to score out wide securing his hat-trick and a try bonus point for the visitors. The conversion drifted wide, but Dunbar again lead 26 – 23.
Back again came the home side and after forcing Dunbar into conceding penalties eventually secured a lineout close to their tryline. Langholm secured possession from the lineout and their forwards combined to drive over for a try. A successful conversion saw the lead change hands for Langholm to lead 30 – 26.
A dominant scrum saw the home side secure a penalty and they again proceeded to test the visiting defence and after securing possession they again lost possession after another knock-on. From the resultant scrum the home side were awarded a penalty for Dunbar not releasing in the tackle. The kick split the posts for a seven-point lead for Langholm.
The game now entered the last five minutes of play and an excellent touch finder from a penalty took Dunbar from just inside the home team’s half to five metres from the tryline.
The ensuing lineout was firstly won by lineout, but great pirating work saw possession retained and slick handling saw Mike Wimbledon-Hall send Sandy Graham clear to romp over in the corner. The conversion attempt drifted wide, but the home side’s lead had been cut to just two points.
The final play saw Langholm secure possession and break deep into Dunbar’s half and they were rewarded with a penalty in the visitor’s twenty-two. An excellent kicking display from the home Stand-Off culminated in him converting his kick to finalise the scoring at 36 – 31 to the home team.
A thrilling game for the spectators with eight tries being scored but ultimately it was the kicking display of the home number ten that proved the difference.
Whilst disappointed to have lost the game the team did secure two bonus points from the match and retain their top spot in the league.
This Saturday sees a break in the league campaign with Dunbar travelling to Foresters in Edinburgh for a National Shield tie.
Thanks to Finlay Graham for his notes to finalise this match report.
