- A smart break by Conor Bickerstaff in the second minute that set-up a try for Jack Scott caught Jed cold at Fullarton – but Marr then lost their way and their discipline – and had to dig deep for their vital last gasp bonus-point try. Big Gordon Reid made a difference once he came on – and young Calum Inglis proved a more than adequate substitute for the injured Colin Sturgeon. ‘Ugly’ it maybe was – but a win is a win – simple as that.
- The tricky conditions at Malleny did not particularly inconvenience Currie Chieftains who soon established control of both possession and territory against Accies. Hamish Ferguson and Fergus Scott were strong up-front – Ryan Southern was a constant threat – and Gregor Hunter was clinical in his goal kicking. A crucial match away to Hawks next week.
- A sluggish first half and two yellow cards cooked Glasgow Hawks‘ goose at Mansfield. They looked much more likely in the second half when they switched Liam Brims from full-back to fly-half – but it just was not their day.
This weekend’s Premiership match reports:
Marr v Jed-Forest: hosts stay on track with ugly win at Fullarton
Hawick v Glasgow Hawks: Mansfield fortress remains intact
Musselburgh v Aberdeen Grammar: four-try Tait stars as Burgh bounce back
GHA v Selkirk: MacFarlane’s hat-trick heroics provide home comfort
Currie v Edinburgh Accies: big home win boosts Chieftains’ title tilt
- Having talismanic skipper Danny Owenson back in harness was a big plus as Musselburgh went a long way towards exorcising their painful defeat at Balgray last week with a hard-fought bonus-point win over Aberdeen Grammar at Stoneyhill – though they did drop off the pace worryingly in the middle third of the game. Gregor Tait had a busy afternoon – with four tries – and a yellow card!
- A dreich afternoon at Mansfield – and Hawick are difficult to beat – as Hawks found to their cost. Hard scrummaging and massive shifts around the park from Shaun Fairbairn, Jae Linton and Stuart Graham dictated the terms of engagement. Gareth Welsh’s sniping breaks kept them on the front foot – and Kirk Ford made sure that the game was played where they wanted it to be played. An altogether satisfactory afternoon – though the growing injury list might be a cause for concern.
- A tough afternoon for Edinburgh Accies against Chieftains up at Malleny. They could not find a foot-hold — and struggled to get into the game. Their set-piece stuttered – and there was a sorry lack of conviction about their play. Disappointing – but their home results are good – and they will be looking to get the show back on the road when they defend the Bill McLaren Shield against GHA at Raeburn Place next week.
- The heavy ground and a slippery ball did not in any way inhibit GHA centre Max Macfarlane as he ran some great lines to bag a hat-trick against Selkirk at Braidholm. Trevor Carmichael maybe did not get the all-round control he was looking for – but he was happy enough with the bonus point win. Maybe he is, as he says, taking one game at a time – but he does have his eye firmly fixed on the Bill McLaren Shield.
- Selkirk are paying the price for the covid-disjointed start to their season. Their lack of game time has impacted badly on their accuracy and sharpness – and it is difficult to see any immediate respite coming their way from Marr’s visit to Philiphaugh next week.
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- A great effort from Jed-Forest against Marr at Fullarton – but ‘no cigar’ – and not even a losing bonus point. They walked straight off the bus into Conor Bickerstaff’s seven-point sucker punch – but they ‘dogged’ it out. Lewis Young scored a wonderful long range try – and there were other chances – but their composure could maybe have been better. At home to Musselburgh next Saturday – two teams who like to play – so it should be worth a look.
- At times Aberdeen Grammar looked a much better side against Musselburgh at Stoneyhill than their record suggests. They were leading 19-14 going into the second half with the wind at their backs – but they ran out of gas. As Ali O’Connor said ‘You can’t win games if you only play for sixty minutes’. And of one thing he can be certain of is Hawick will play for the full 80 minutes up at Rubislaw next week.
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