Three wins in a row for clinical Linlithgow side
Home victory for Reds
Linlithgow Reds made it three wins on the bounce thanks to a 31-17 win at home to Dunbar.
It was a spirited display from the home side, who were without six key players but still ground out a victory.
The Reds started the match on the front foot and for the first 25 minutes Dunbar were pinned inside their own half as wave after wave of Reds attacks crashed down on them.
It says much for their tackling and defensive abilities that Dunbar only conceded two tries and a penalty during this period, while the Reds will have been disappointed not to have put the game out of sight.
The first score arrived from the boot of Jack Frame as he stroked over a penalty before young Gregor Stewart claimed his third try in two matches as he squeezed in at the corner after sustained pressure.
In a rare foray forward the visitors got on the board with a penalty, only for the Reds to answer back swiftly with their second try of the game.
Hooker Stuart Cunningham made a powerful break, running 30 metres through the Dunbar defence before offloading to Neil Lockhart, whose pace took him past the defenders as he scored under the posts.
Frame’s conversion made it 15-3.
The stubborn Dunbar side, whose performance belied their status as the only team in the division still searching for a victory this campaign, reduced the deficit with a well worked, converted try to make it 15-10 to Linlithgow at the break.
A change at half- time saw Andrew Whitelaw make his season’s debut for the Reds after an injury lay-off.
The game was in a critical phase and Dunbar, sensing their opportunity, sought to capitalise but the home defence held firm with a string of outstanding tackles.
They were able to ease the pressure as Frame converted a pair of penalties - one of which knocked a pint from the hands of a spectator - but Dunbar refused to give in and scored their third try to narrow the gap to four points as the game entered the final quarter.
In a near carbon copy of their previous two fixtures, the Reds saved the best for last as they stormed to victory thanks to a pair of tries in the final 10 minutes.
The first came from Rab Cairns, who collected an exquisitely weighted chip from John Chapman, and the final score arrived after Cammy Murrie rounded off a lovely attacking move from the Mains Park outfit to touch down in the corner.
It was double delight for the club on Saturday as the second XV notched a stunning 50-10 victory over Forrester.
The Reds go for a fourth win in a row as they visit Forrester on Saturday.