Dunbar welcomed Penicuik to Hallhill for this final league match of the season.

The home side were grateful to the visitors for agreeing to an earlier kick off and they further displayed a touch of class when their players and coaches joined the junior members in forming a welcoming guard of honour and applauded their hosts onto the pitch.

The game kicked off in front of a healthy touchline support and it was the home side who started aggressively launching a series of driving mauls and Daniel Martin took an inside pass to power his way over for the game’s first try after only two minutes. The conversion attempt drifted wide.

From the kick off it was Struan Lugton who after securing possession caused panic by breaking through the first line defence and driving deep into Penicuik’s half an inside pass to the supporting Sandy Graham who was eventually snagged down and the visitors were grateful for some respite as a penalty award allowed them to clear their lines.

The home side were relentless in their driving mauls and after a penalty was conceded in Penicuik’s twenty-two it was taken quickly, and good handling created the space for Callum Harding to smash his way over from close range for Dunbar’s second try. Again, the conversion attempt drifted wide but the lead was ten points.

The tempo at which Dunbar continued to play at was stretching the beleaguered visiting defence and after yet another penalty the forwards created the space for Blair Mills to break through ineffective tackles to score an easy try. Robbie Cockburn was finding the crosswind difficult to judge as yet another conversion drifted wide.

The effort required to keep the rampaging home forwards and backs saw injuries to key personnel in the Penicuik team. This disruption to their defensive systems saw the home side handle at pace and Mike Hall displayed a neat combination of strength and footwork to break clear and crash over for the bonus point try. He also managed to convert his own try, and the score was now 22-0 to Dunbar.

The breakneck speed of Dunbar’s driving and slick handling saw Robbie Cockburn break clear to set John Peebles on a run towards the tryline he then returned the favour by passing inside to his captain who unselfishly passed inside to the supporting Daniel Martin to score by the posts. A successful conversion followed.

The bravery of the Penicuik team saw them finally enjoy a spell of pressure and good passing saw their big centre burst though a normally watertight defensive line only to be denied by an excellent last ditch covering tackle. Following a penalty award they began to test the home defence with a series of drives which saw another penalty awarded in the home 22 and the resultant kick sailed between the sticks to make the score 29-3.

Whilst this was really Penicuik’s first bout of pressure it came on the twenty-five-minute mark and this reverse seemed to galvanise Dunbar and after yet another thumping tackle by Daniel Martin the ball was again moved at pace only for the move to falter due to a forward pass. Next to probe was John Peebles who chose to kick over his opposite number only to be denied by another last-ditch scramble and touch down by a Penicuik defender.

The visitors threw caution to the wind and their backs created the space for their Full Back who after showing good pace was only denied by yet another excellent covering tackle.

Clearly stung by the efforts of the doughty visitors it was the turn of Ben Miller to show good strength and pace to reach the Penicuik twenty-two and an alert Jamie Nicholson recycled the ball quickly and speedy passing saw Robbie Cockburn to outpace the defence to score an excellent team try.

The pressure on the visitors saw them lose a Prop injured and with a dominant scrum the ball was again moved swiftly, and it was centre Mike Hall who cut inside his opposite number to dive over for another well-worked try.

Penicuik put themselves under pressure with their kick off going too long. No.8 Daniel Martin broke blind making yards aplenty breaking tackles and he then unselfishly passed inside to the supporting Callum Harding to score out wide. No conversion followed but Dunbar reached half time 44-6 ahead.

The coaches decided to freshen up the team with replacements getting their opportunity and it was Ewan Patrizio who supporting his backs took the pass to drive towards the line and power his way over in the corner.

The home supporters were now being treated to watching a team high on confidence and it was Mike Hall who broke through and then passed to Gregor Ronan who side-stepped his way past would be tacklers to score under the posts. He duly converted his own try.

The home side continued to torment the visitors and after yet another breakdown seizure the ball found its way to Ewan Patrizio who powered his way into the twenty-two and then pass inside to Lochie Milne who strolled over for the easiest of tries. The conversion followed and the score was now 63-6.

To their credit Penicuik continued to stem the flow of incessant home pressure but after good interplay between forwards and backs it was Dylan Sammels who broke clear and then give Ewan Miller the easiest of scores by the posts. A successful conversion brought the seventy points up.

The home side continued to pummel the Penicuik defence and with confidence sky high allied to superior fitness another pre-planned move saw the supporting Dylan Sammels on hand to steak away to .score under the posts.

The visitors looked shell-shocked, and they were falling off tackles and this allied to decisive handling saw Gregor Ronan next given the opportunity to outsprint the cover to score in the corner, An excellent conversion kick by him took the score to 84-6.

After securing possession from the restart the Dunbar forwards again drove deep into the visitors twenty-two and slick hands saw Sandy Graham given the room to power his way over for try number fifteen. Gregor Ronan goaled the conversion and after a brief discussion with the captains the Referee brought the game and Dunbar’s league season to a finish.

The weather which had been overcast all game changed to fine spring sunshine and it was a proud Captain Robbie Cockburn who accepted the East Region League 2 trophy from the SRU’s Murdo Gillanders to be joyfully accepted by his fellow team mates, coaches, and staff.

This young team has enjoyed a tremendous season with only one league defeat and on the way scoring a plethora of try bonus points and treating its faithful band of supporters to a brand of high tempo rugby.

East Region 1 will prove a challenge with some East Lothian derbies to look forward to but one which will be relished by all involved at Dunbar RFC.