Following on from their superb win at
Goldenacre last week, the Boroughmuir 2nd XV
claimed another league scalp with a comfortable win over
their Stewarts Melville counterparts. The performance was
far from perfect, there were mistakes aplenty in the opening
period of both halves, but ’Muir’s clinical finishing meant
that they were never in danger of losing.
The scoring opened in the eighth minute when
Stew Mel were awarded a penalty in the ’Muir twenty-two
which their fly-half converted, but Boroughmuir quickly
answered with a try, Jason Russell getting on the end of a
well worked move from stolen lineout ball and proving he
knows where the try line is. Bruce Aitchison landed the
conversion from wide on the left.
Bruce missed the chance to extend the lead
when his penalty attempt struck the post, but the hosts’
pressure was soon turned into more points, Johnny McGaughey
claiming a try on the right wing after a charge down before
James Fish sliced through the Stew Mel defence and romped
home from sixty-five metres. Aitchison converted Fish’s
score, putting his side 19-3 up at the break.
The start of the second half again saw
’Muir’s play littered with mistakes, but they came through
that period without conceding, and stretched their lead
thirteen minutes in when, after Phil Bloomer had battered
his way up the left win, second row colleague Euan Matheson
powered over for the score.
Stewarts Melville managed to earn themselves
a try with five minutes of sustained pressure around the
hour mark, eventually their right winger crossing in the
corner, and the fly-half converted to bring the gap down to
fourteen. Boroughmuir found an extra gear in the last twenty
minutes though, and finished off the game in style.
Aitchison had edged the gap out slightly with
a penalty before Johnny McGaughey grabbed his second score
of the afternoon, crossing in the left corner, and coming
into the final five minutes, James White got himself on the
score sheet with a simple finish on the right wing.
Aitchison converted White’s score, as he did
the final one of the match, for which the biggest cheer was
reserved. A break up the right wing saw the ball in the
hands of prop Andy McLean, and with men in support, he threw
a dummy, stepped in off his right foot, pinned his ears back
and motored for the posts, touching down with a Charlie
Keenan-esque forward roll.
The performance may not have been everything
that was looked for by the coaches, but such a sizeable win
can surely provide momentum for the coming games, especially
building on the success over Heriot’s.
