Lasswade 54 Glasgow Accies 14

This meeting came about because Accies won 95% of their league games to win West League 1 while Lasswade could manage only 27% and were duly relegated from National 2. Any believers in momentum in sport had the perfect opportunity to test the theory.

The pro group were given an early boost when the Accies standoff placed a long diagonal chip straight into the hands of his unmarked winger and having crossed in the corner Clark had space to round towards the posts for an easier conversion by Rhodes.

From that point on the momentum was almost exclusively with Lasswade. Against the slight breeze and into the benign sun, the hosts applied steady and patient pressure for Cook to level the try count in the corner and for Matt Smith to find the posts with a well struck conversion from the touchline.

As the first quarter was closing the home side used a close range lineout not for the customary catch and drive but for a rehearsed offload to the hooker on the tight side. Turnbull completed by the corner flag and Matt Smith was on target again from wide out.

Apart from the occasional sally by Accies, the general direction of travel was towards the visitors’ line and the third try started with a close range lineout but when the maul was broken up some recycling through rucks ended with Arnot’s dive to the line.

Although occasionally careless with their own ball in rucks, the hosts were making up for this by stealing ball from the opposition and in the last move of the game just such a plunder and swift passing to the opposite wing had Matt Smith adding seven points to his tally for the game so far and a try bonus point, half time score of 26-7.

Accies opened the second half in lively fashion and were well inside the Lasswade 22 when their ball went loose and Matt Smith hacked it upfield. Smith stayed ahead of the defence to hack ahead twice more and touch down still with enough breath left to slot the conversion.

Just a few minutes later the hosts capitalised on yet another turned over ruck to whip the ball wide to the opposite wing where Lamont danced along the touch line to round the last defender and bring up the forty points.

Accies responded this time and from a spell in the home 22 a sliced clearance was gathered by Lindsay who weaved his way through the defenders to give Rhodes another straightforward two points.

This, though, was their last consolation. A try by Wilson under the posts and another in stoppage time from McGillivary took the tally to the half century - and beyond, when Smith’s two conversions were added. With a personal tally of 24 points from two tries and seven conversions as well as his guiding of play from standoff, Smith was the obvious choice for Lasswade’s player of the match.

While Lasswade are bouncing back from last season, the momentum theorists get a second chance this Saturday when they travel to St Boswell’s. Promoted from East Division 1, also with a 95% record, they have also started this season well with wins against Perthshire and Haddington. Kickoff 3pm.