Ayr 40-8 Hawick

THE incentives for second-top Ayr and second-bottom Hawick were different but equally urgent with the home side intent on keeping up a title challenge and the visitors determined to pull away from the relegation zone.

The Ayr pack had the upper hand but they could only rack up a Damien Kelly try before half-time, a Rory Hutton penalty keeping Hawick in touch.

Two Nick Lavelle penalties and a Ben Colley try in the first 10 minutes of the second half put Ayr almost out of sight despite Hutton's 53d minute try.

Ayr flanker Paul Burke went in for try number three and Glen Tippett had the bonus winning score. Scott Sampson and Scott Lines got late tries.
B'muir 23-27 Melrose

TWO tries from Mark Robertson gave Melrose a crucial bonus point at Meggetland. Melrose led four times, only to be pegged back.

The home team were denied a try by Alan Sievewright when the touch judge said the No. 9 had been in touch. The teams were level at half-time with a try a piece from Calum Anderson and Charlie Keenan, and penalties by Ross Cook and Scott Wight.

There was then a spate of tries, Robertson and Laing Robson for Melrose and Andy Hadden and Malcolm Clapperton for Muir. Cook's conversion of Clapperton's try put his side 23-20 ahead before Robertson's final touchdown and Wight's conversion sealed the points.
Currie 51-0 Dundee HSP

A HESITANT and off-key Dundee side were blown away by Currie as the league leaders rattled in eight unanswered tries.

From the first moment when David Officer touched down, it looked like it was going to be a long afternoon for the visitors. Andy MacMahon and Paul Huntly added further tries, and with Ally Warnock's two conversions and a penalty it was 22-0 after only 20 minutes.

Dundee held out until half-time, but Geoff Caldwell and Mark Cairns scored two tries within six minutes of the restart.

Further tries from Steve McEwan, Graham Calder and Ross Weston, plus a conversion each from Warnock and Richard Sneddon, completed the rout.
Glasgow Hawks 34-7 Aberdeen

IT WAS an emotion-charged occasion at Old Anniesland as fallen champions Hawks paid tribute to tragic Royal Marine Craig Hodgkinson on and off the pitch.

The club's former stand-off died suddenly during the week at the age of 27 - and his former team-mates dedicated their success over Aberdeen to him.

Hawks looked inspired and they raced into a 29-0 interval lead to make sure of the precious bonus point. It was a tougher task after the restart and they could add only one more score.

Flanker John Fitzpatrick led the charge with two touchdowns, the other coming from Kenny Sinclair, Nick Cox and Gavin Mories.
Heriot's 6-24 Watsonians

WATSONIANS strengthened their title challenge after a crushing win over city rivals Heriot's at Goldenacre yesterday.

Midfield linchpin Michael Ker got the ball rolling in the 23rd minute with a penalty before Malaisa Mailo scored under the posts and Ker converted.

Graham Wilson struck two penalties to leave Heriot's trailing 10-6 at the break.

Watsonians tightened their stranglehold in the 65th minute when Will Rowley picked up from the base of a scrum to crash over, Andrew Skeen converting.

In the dying moments of the game, a Jayden Thrush try, converted by Skeen, ensured the Watsonians victory and shattered Heriot's title hopes

This article was posted on 12-Nov-2006, 08:51 by Hugh Barrow.