Dunbar travelled to Montgomery Park Penicuik seeking to keep their unbeaten season on track.

The first quarter saw both teams trying to gain the upper hand and after the referee sin-binned the home team’s Stand Off after a series of persistent penalties the visitors scored the first try of the game when a well-executed handling move saw Robbie Cockburn score out wide. An excellent conversion took Dunbar’s lead to 7-0.

The visitors kept the pressure on and they were rewarded when a sweeping move saw the ball moved through multiple hands and Alex Gibb took the final pass to score Dunbar’s second try. Robbie Cockburn converted, and the score was now 0-14.

The visitors were well on top and after a mark called by Gregor Ronan in his own 22 they moved the ball quickly through several pairs of hands creating the space for winger Sandy Graham to outpace the covering defence from the home side’s 10 metre line to score an excellent team try. The conversion was good, and the lead was now 21 points.

The home side were given a lifeline when hooker Euan MacRury was sin-binned for a ruck offence. Penicuik them put the visitors under pressure but they were repelled by excellent defensive work from Dunbar who were rewarded when a home knock-on which allowed the ever-alert Kyle Gallacher to capitalise by securing possession and outpace the home defence and score in the corner. The conversion was missed but Dunbar had secured a try bonus point and led Penicuik 26-0.  Penicuik’s misery was compounded when the referee again reduced the home side to 14 men when their second row was penalised after a high tackle. The half time whistle blew with Dunbar leading 26-0.

Dunbar started the second half positively playing against the fourteen men of Penicuik and a planned lineout move saw the ball moved wide for centre Robbie Logan to run a fantastic line taking the pass at pace to split the home defence and stroll over by the posts. The easy conversion stretched the score to 0-33.

From Penicuik’s kick-off the ball was moved to Ewan Patrizio who set off on a barnstorming run to breach the home defensive line and time his pass to the supporting Ewan Miller to score under the posts. Robbie Cockburn duly converted.

Again, the home side were given some hope when the referee deemed Prop Struan Lugton to have put a high tackle on a home player. Both sets of players and supporters were clearly bemused by the number of cards that had been issued as the game had been competitive but was not dirty in nature.

As the third quarter approached it was the visitors who scored again after solid scrummaging saw the ball moved wide to Mikey Hall who set off on a jinking run to split the home defence and time his pass to the supporting Dan Martin to run in unopposed. Again, the conversion split the posts to increase the lead to 45 points.

The side finally gained some reward for their efforts when after a Dunbar handling mistake saw the loose ball secured and good passing saw them score their first try in the corner. The difficult conversion attempt was missed.

Clearly stung by the loss of the score Dunbar again drove deep into Penicuik’s half and after some strong forward pressure it was Euan MacRury who was bundled over under the posts for another try. The conversion made the score 5-52.

Tempers frayed and after a fracas visiting centre Mikey Hall was deemed by the referee to merit a sin bin for ten minutes. With their man advantage it was the home side who scored in the corner directly from the penalty that had just been awarded. Again, the conversion was missed and shortly afterwards the full time whistle was blown and it was the visitors who had put in a commanding performance to win 52-10. The team is growing both in stature and confidence and to win away in Penicuik for the first time in a long time bodes well for the rest of the league campaign.

This Saturday sees Dunbar travel to Cavalry Park to play Portobello in the National Shield Round 1.

Many thanks to Fin Graham for his input to this report.