Strathmore clear at top

Strathmore will head into the midseason break in league action as leaders of BT Caledonia Division One after taking all five league points from a 24-10 win at home to Grangemouth Stags.

Ian Reid bagged the first of the Inchmacoble side’s four tries early on as Strathie reached the interval with a 12-3 lead and, although Stags made life tough in the second period, two further touchdowns secured the bonus.

With erstwhile pacesetters Caithness having no game, Strathie now hold a four-point advantage over second-placed Alloa, who also leapfrogged the Thurso outfit after withstanding a determined second half effort from Glenrothes to post a 35-33 home win in a 10-try match.

The Earlsfield men opened the scoring when Graham Lindsay touched down.

Gavin Emerson went over for the visitors and Kain Duguid converted but the hosts responded with tries from Ed Waller, Lindsay and Dale Foster for a 28-7 interval lead. Cammy Goodall and Waller exchanged converted tries before Emerson had another for the Fifers – this time unconverted – and Derek Mitchell bagged the bonus point score. Glens added a narrow defeat bonus when Daryll Warrender crossed the whitewash in the final play of the game.

Harris were back to winning ways, seeing off Banff 38-10 at Elliot Road, but Dunfermline suffered a 36-19 defeat away to Aberdeen Wanderers.

Blairgowrie pulled a further point clear at the top of Division Two (Midlands) by chalking up a 50-3 win away to Stirling County at Bridgehaugh, while secondplaced Hillfoots failed to take a four-try bonus as they edged past third-placed Carnoustie 21-15.

The top three have broken away and Carnoustie are 11 points clear of nearest pursuers Panmure, whose challenge was dented by a 29-22 defeat at home to Kinross.

Morgan trailed 19-5 at half time but fought back to beat Madras 27-19 and moved above their opponents and out of the bottom two.

The highest scoring encounter of the day was at Beveridge Park where Kirkcaldy seconds beat their Falkirk counterparts 50-26.

Waid remain in control at the top of Division Three (Midlands) after easing to a 97-14 win over Hillfoots seconds. The Anstruther men have two games in hand but already sit three points clear of Howe of Fife seconds, who were 62-19 winners over Aberfeldy.

Crieff & Strathearn thrashed Bo’ness 90-0, while Arbroath saw off the Angus Development side 43-22 and Bannockburn beat Perthshire seconds 33-17.