Dundee left dejected as Grammar turn the screw

BT LEAGUES: High miss out on losing bonus after blowing half-time lead

A win at Rubislaw would have taken Dundee into the month -long BT National League break in a strong position, close enough to make a challenge for a top two place.

It looked as though that might be the case when they took a 10-3 lead into half-time but they managed only a further three points as Aberdeen Grammar Rugby piled on 25 to win 28-13, leaving Dundee not even close to a losing bonus.

The Mayfield men’s cause was not helped by a couple of first-half injuries to lock Andy Redmayne and hooker Paddy Armstrong, and when they had to turn to face a fierce wind in the second half it was too big a mountain to climb.

Alasdair Mackie got the first-half try for Dundee and Rory McGinn converted and added a penalty, with the only Aberdeen score coming from a Bryn Perrott penalty.

It all changed after the break with the wind behind them as Nathan Walker crossed twice for the home side with Grant Walker adding a third, Perrott converting two and clinching the game with another couple of penalties.

That leaves Dundee going into the break seventh in the league and only the small matter of a BT Cup tie against Marr at Mayfield on November 18 for the rest of the month.

Kirkcaldy took on a Biggar side that had won three of their last four games but gave the Hartreemill men a real going over to come out 40-13 winners and stay top of BT National 2 by three points from Lasswade going into the break.

Kirkcaldy led 19- 3 at half-time with the only Biggar score a Carne Green penalty but they could add only tries by Ross Bradford and Alistair Sinclair as the home side stretched away to clinch a convincing bonus point win.

Greg Wallace had a couple of tries for Kirkcaldy, while the scoresheet wouldn’t look right if Dayle Turner wasn’t on it and sure enough he bagged a try along with Rhys Bonner, Scott Anderson and Finlay Bruce, with Finlay Smith converting five out of six.

Kirkcaldy are certain to start the second half of the league campaign as leaders since Hamilton’s game in hand against Whitecraigs will not take them top if they win next Friday.

Lasswade did themselves and Kirkcaldy a big favour by turning over the Laigh Bent crew at Hawthornden on Saturday.

Pennypit is always a stuffy place to get a win as Howe of Fife found out on Saturday at the wrong end of a 26-23 scoreline against Preston Lodge which nevertheless saw them pick up an invaluable couple of bonus points.

Howe were in the game at half-time with tries from Duncan McIntyre and Connor Crawford and a Cameron Ellison penalty keeping them in touch as PL notched three converted tries from Cameron Palleate, Jack Gordon and Blair Robertson, with Brian Wells nailing the conversion of all three.

Howe won the second-half try count two to one with scores from Callum Williston and Conner Crawford but poor Cameron Ellison couldn’t buy a conversion despite some near misses. Howe go into the break in eighth spot.