Stuffy Pars make it hard work for league leaders Alloa

Alloa made it two wins from two and now sit at the top of BT Caledonia Division One as the only unbeaten side in what is shaping up to be a keenly-contested league.

The Earlsfield men were given a good test away to a stuffy Dunfermline side before eventually emerging with a 33-19 win.

Grangemouth Stags bounced back from an opening day defeat to chalk up a 55-17 success at home to Banff.

Glenrothes travelled to meet Caithness and the Fifers led at the interval before a second-half fightback handed the hosts a 46-41 win. Michael Delorey touched down twice, while Cammy Goodall and Aaron Campbell had a try apiece and Kain Duguid booted two conversions as the Fifers reached half-time with a 24-17 lead.

Delorey completed his hat-trick, Goodall bagged a second and Duguid kicked seven points but that was not enough to hold off the resurgent hosts.

“Glenrothes take two bonus points but left feeling that they have dropped three by not building on their half-time lead to take a victory”, said spokesman John Goodall.

Strathmore played their first game in the nine-team league – Harris had a free Saturday – and it proved to be a successful afternoon for the Inchmacoble men who reached half-time with a 14-7 lead before raising the pace in the second period to see off Aberdeen Wanderers 38-19.

Hillfoots and Stirling County Bridgehaugh share top spot in Division Two (Midlands) after both recorded a second successive bonus point win.

The Tillicoultry men top the table by virtue of a superior points difference after easing to a 69-10 success away to Falkirk seconds, while Stirling were 55-5 winners away to Kirkcaldy seconds.

Panmure took the honours in the derby clash with Morgan, chalking up a 19-16 success, while there was also a tight finish at Kinross where the hosts went down 30-24 against Blairgowrie, who are the third unbeaten side in the league, albeit with a point less than the two pacesetters.

The day’s other encounter was also a competitive affair, with Madras eventually succumbing 35-43 at home to Carnoustie.

Elsewhere, Waid Academy’s 54-5 win at Bannockburn leaves them at the top of Division Three (Midlands) on points difference from Arbroath, who had a 39-17 success away to Perthshire seconds, and Angus Development XV, who were 57-22 winners at Glenrothes seconds.

Grangemouth seconds got the better of their Alloa counterparts 38-5, Dundee University Medics saw off Aberfeldy 41-15, Stobswell beat Howe of Fife seconds 39-28, and Rosyth Sharks returned from Bo’ness with a 52-7 win to their credit.