Lasswade 36 Preston Lodge 16

Promoted to Division 2 as runners up to Lasswade, Preston Lodge has fared slightly better so far with three wins from four and a BT Cup win last week as against Lasswade’s two wins from four and a Cup trouncing. PL have yet to win a league game against their most local rivals, though.

With only the captain Billingham unavailable this week the Midlothian side proved far too strong for their neighbours. After an even-steven first half they took control of the second period winning the final try count 5-2.

With a near perfect pitch, bright sun and, for once, barely a breath of wind, conditions couldn’t have been better for open, handling rugby.

PL kicked off and within two minutes had Lasswade over the top at a ruck in front of the posts and McMann took the three points. It took ten minutes for Lasswade to return the compliment with a similar situation for White to level the score.

On the quarter hour, the hosts provided a foretaste of the second half with a try that started out as a lineout near the half-way line. The ball was moved through hands and recycles from left wing to right and back and from a ruck on the PL line Jamie Elliot dived over the top for the first try.

McMann’s boot narrowed the gap a few minutes later when a Lasswade tackler failed to release and three minutes into the second quarter PL took the lead for the first and only time through a 10-metre catch and drive finished off by Hart to set up the half time score of 8-11

PL were on the back foot from the second half kick-off and just five minutes on Smith found a hole in the PL defence and had Wilson on hand to take the inside switch pass and race in under the posts for White to convert.

It was Wilson touching down again just two minutes later as Lasswade’s return of the restart turned into a kick-and-chase and the Lasswade centre won the race. White converted again to make it 22-11.

Lasswade were dominant now, winning both their set pieces and breakdowns with their man of the match, Black, controlling play at scrum half as well as taking a few snipes himself.

Their bonus try came just after the hour when White found some space and fed Smith for the five points before himself adding the conversion.

Lasswade’s fifth try came from their trademark catch-and-drive with Donald Hearn in possession for the touch down and White added his fourth conversion.

With eleven minutes to go PL turned to catch-up rugby rather than just giving up and Dickson finished off their own catch and drive but they could make nothing more from the remaining five minutes.

This win means that Lasswade leapfrog two teams back to fourth place while Hamilton continue unbeaten at the top.

Lasswade’s next League fixture is against Falkirk to be played under the lights at Hawthornden this Friday at 7.30pm.