Edinburgh Accies had too much pace and power for Dundee High at Mayfield as they scored six tries without reply in going to the top of BT National League One.
With leaders Jed-Forest suffering their first defeat of the season at Marr, the Raeburn Place’s side’s bonus point took them top of the table and it was an impressive display against an overmatched and injury-depleted High team.
The home side lost two more men in a first half punctuated by injuries to both teams but had always been struggling against the direct running of the Accies dynamic pack and the pace of their back division.
Phil Godman, the former Scotland stand-off making his first start for High, kicked an early penalty but Accies’ superb execution had the home defence under all sorts of pressure for the first quarter of the game.
Some scrambling defence kept the visitors at bay but eventually the pressure told with tight head Clement Lacour crashing over near the posts, Andrew Bell converting.
The Frenchman made a fine steal in the shadow of his own posts as High attempted to hit back, but the rest of the half was marred by two sickening collisons afflicting either side.
Accies suffered first with Bell and Greg Campbell colliding and the back rower was forced from the field, and then just before half time High’s Christy O’Donnell and Kevin Franco clashed heads, the back rower being stretchered from the field.
Because of the lengthy delays for treatment 55 minutes had been played in the first half when Sam Chalmers went over for Accies’ second try which went uncoverted.
High needed a big start to the second half but it was Accies again who took control, Campbell’s replacement Lawrie Seydak going over for their third try, Bell converting and High prop Alan Brown yellow carded to boot.
High did get a second Godman penalty when a man down but back came Accies with the bonus point try, scored by wing Matt Coupar after sharp work from scrum-half Alex Glashan.
The home side’s effort couldn’t be faulted with skipper Andy Dymock and lock Neil Turnbull leading the resistance but a clean break from Ronan Seydak set up centre Neil Armstrong for the visitors’ fifth try and then the big replacement bagged his own interception try with the final play of the game.
Dundee High Rugby: C O’Donnell; I Matacagi, C Bowie, F McKay, R Joy; P Godman, A Dymock (capt); J Gibson, D Russell, A Brown; N Turnbull, C Cumming; K Franco, D Turner, R Milne. Reps: J Brady, N Dymock, J Petty, Y Alagilly, K Samson.
Edinburgh Accies: B Appleson; M Coupar, S Chalmers, N Armstrong, S Kirkby; A Bell, A Glashan; J Pearse, C Black, C Lacour; N Aitken, S Gibson; G Campbell, J Sole (Capt), T Drennan. Reps: C Weetman, L Seydak, R Seydak, M Love, J Forrester.
Ref: K White.
