Try-double from Fife completes Edinburgh salvage job

DOUGIE Fife ran in two tries to help haul Edinburgh back from a 13-7 deficit to make it four wins in a row in all competitions and avoid a double dose of defeat against the muchimproved Italians.

A week after giving Toulon a fright in the Champions Cup, before going down 30-29, Benetton once again revealed what a competitive side they are by responding to Sam HidalgoClyne’s fourth-minute try.

Phil Burleigh started it, putting Blair Kinghorn through a gap, and when the full-back was brought down he found James Johnstone in support and fed Hidalgo-Clyne for a great try at the posts. Jason Tovey converted.

Two penalties from Ian McKinley brought Benetton back to within a point and they grabbed the lead early in the second half. Good hands by lock Marco Fuser put wing Angelo Esposito over for a try that McKinley improved.

That score gave the home side confidence and Edinburgh a mountain to climb. But Richard Cockerill’s side knuckled down and conjured up two tries for Fife to overturn the deficit.

Tovey, who played a major part in the victory with his controlling influence at fly-half, converted both tries and added a penalty in between to complete the fightback.

The second try from Fife left the Scottish side with seven minutes to pick up a bonus-point, but replacement Glenn Bryce was bundled into touch near the line in the final raid.