Lasswade travelled to Perthshire with more or less a full complement with the Smiths’ centre partnership restored and only last week’s hat-tricker, Donald Hearn, unable to travel and his place taken by Jamie Elliot - temporarily promoted to the back row.

With only one win and a draw at home this season, eighth in the table Perthshire proved to be a bit optimistic in hoping to interrupt Lasswade’s run of five victories and continuing challenge for the title. The visitors had the bonus try in the bag by half time and although they eased up in the second half they never looked like losing.

With only a slightly angled cross wind and the gloom of a December afternoon to affect proceedings, Perthshire kicked off and forced the first errors to earn the first points when Clow’s boot punished an offside with just five minutes gone.

Lasswade needed the rest of the first quarter to settle and take stock and then a lineout 20 metres out set up one of the longer scoring catch and drives with Billingham claiming the score and opening his ultimately successful account for man-of-the-match. Clarke’s conversion from wide out made it 7-3.

Just four minutes later, a much shorter range catch and drive stalled a few metres out but Lamond broke down the blind side and had Gladstone on his shoulder to grab the second touch-down.

Traffic was mostly one way for the remainder of the half as the forwards supplied good ball to the backs and the Smiths made the breaks to set up Dave Hall and Lamont both flyers along their respective wings. Notwithstanding that, full normal time of the half was nearly up before a turned over Perthshire scrum on their own five metres enabled Kyle Smith to pick his angle and set up a straightforward conversion for Clarke to widen the lead to 19-3.

A safe gather of the restart saw the ball whipped to Dave Hall who backed his speed to take play deep into Perthshire territory a 1-2-1 with Robertson left the latter just a few yards to make for the bonus try and the second rower is unstoppable from that distance.

24-3 up at the start of the second period, the visitors turned the screw. Under pressure in their 22, a weak Perthshire clearance was gathered by Dave Hall on half way. He made a good ground before popping to Kyle Smith and from there to the other flyer on the right wing, Lamont, who outpaced the first would –be tacklers and sidestepped the last on his way to the line.

Keeping the Perthshire side virtual prisoner on their own turf, the Lasswade forwards again set up secure ball for their backs. This time a scything break by Kyle Smith saw him all but score from 30 metres out but he needed the omnipresent Dougie Hearn to finish off his good work. Clarke’s boot made it 36-3 with still 29 minutes to go.

Rather than rub it in Lasswade perhaps eased off a little but either way. Perthsire came back into the game and enjoyed more territory and possession. Just five minutes after the visitors’ last score a ruck on their line gave Whittle the chance to burrow over and grab the first home try and Clow’s conversion made it into double figures.

The home side continued to battle away but the Lasswade defence stayed tight. I t was only in the dying minutes when their line cracked again and a catch and drive from Perthshire this time ended with Pattinson in possession to touch down.

With Preston Lodge missing the bonus at Irvine both they and Lasswade have 46 points with PL placed second courtesy of an extra 20 in the points difference. West of Scotland stay top after a bonus win at Dunfermline but only three points ahead.

Lasswade support would probably be optimistic if they expected those positions to change this Saturday when West and PL are hosts respectively to bottom Murrayfield and second bottom Dunfermline while Lasswade’s visitors are seventh placed Irvine. Kick-offs 2pm.