Clinical Leith make it 4 & 0.

8 Try showing for Ex-Presidents & Captains.

The starting line up saw a number of changes in the forwards and one in the back for their home game against Queensferry.

Patrick Duignan came back into the front row in place of the absent Craig Winton, with Keith Aitchison shifting from tighthead to loosehead.

Paul Cyphus came into the second row in place of Iain Miller. And the much changed back row saw Tam Bennett start at no.8, and Grant Aitken come in a blind side with Andy MacIntosh, Adam Beasley and Ian Briscoe all unavailable and Jeffery Beckett having left for sunnier shores. The one change in the backs saw Fraser Dick get his first start for the club in place of the injured Daniel Berger (back). Due to numbers Leith were only able to name four players on the bench. John Murphy, Derek Greenan, David Meadows the only survivor from last week and David Guthrie who’s transfer from Kirkcaldy came through in time to complete the four.

Leith kicked off towards Lochend Road but the ball never exceeded the required 10 metres so Queensferry received the first put in to the scrum. The first few minutes of the match were a scrappy affair with Queensferry happy to kick the ball away to gain territory. Momentum swung in Leith ’s favour as their forwards gained control at the breakdown. Queensferry committed more numbers to tackle area to counteract Leith’s dominance creating space out wide and this led to Leith ’s opening score. Quickly recycled ball on the halfway line saw B.Tyler release the backline. C.Smith threw a miss pass to G.Marshall who rounded the right wing and beat the covering fullback down the left hand touch line and held off the retreating scrum half to touch down under the posts. Kick converted 7-0.

Leith’s dominance at the breakdown saw them get the next score. Queensferry illegally coming in from the sides giving away the penalty between the ten and the twenty-two. G.Marshall knocking over for 3 more. Score 10-0.

Queensferry scored their only points next. The Leith forwards penalised at the break down and the Queensferry stand off slotted the resulting kick. Score 10-3.

Back came Leith putting Queensferry under pressure in their own twenty two. The forwards again turning the ball over and B.Tyler picked the ball up as it squirted out on the Leith side, rounded the maul and with Queensferry’s backs lined out to the right, ran under the posts unopposed. G.Marshall added the extra’s. Score 17-3.

The Leith forwards were producing good go-forward ball, with Queensferry struggling to cope with their bursts round the fringes by K.Aitchison and the excellent T.Bennett. Queensferry having to compete for the ball illegally resulting in another penalty. The kick to touch then saw W.Cook hit his jumper in the line out. B.Place tapped the ball down to B.Tyler at scrumhalf who distributed to the backs. With the dummy runner halting the covering defence C.Smith popped to D.Thomson who sped through the gap to dot down under the posts for his debut score. G.Marshall again added the extra’s. Score 24-3.

Leith should have then scored their bonus point try. Forward dominance again saw Leith with the ball deep in the Queensferry twenty-two. B.Place gathered the ball at the back of a ruck and broke for the line. But with it seeming easier to score he was held up over the line. However Leith were not to be denied securing their 4 try bonus point in the first half. A kick into the corner saw the Queensferry left winger gather and run the ball back infield. T.Bennett putting in the tackle and the forwards turned over possession again. Quick ball to the backs saw the ball go through the hands to R.Clarke on the left wing. Clarke made it deep into the Queensferry twenty-two before being tackled into touch. The resulting line out saw Leith steal the ball and controlled a rolling maul to score in the corner. Both S.Wyatt and P.Cyphus came up with the ball. After some debate between the two the score was awarded to the returning Cyphus. G.Marshall missed the extra’s to the left of the uprights. Half time score 29-3.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first. With the Leith pack dominating it didn’t take long for the next try. Another drive by the forwards saw B.Place rewarded for his excellent display and make up for his miss in the first half with a score in the right hand corner. G.Marshall’s conversion attempt drifted across the front of the posts. Score 34-3.

The Leith backs then started to get in on the act of turning Queensferry ball over. A clearing kick to the Queensferry left wing saw him again run the back in field. This time the Leith centre pairing came up in a flat line and the Queensferry winger stepped in towards inside centre R.Hastings and then change his mind and step back towards outside centre G.Marshall. Marshall flattened his man, taking ball and all in the tackle, allowing his forward to get to the break down and drive the ball deep into the Queensferry half.

Leith's next score came from G.Marshall. Again the Leith pack were dominating proceedings, winning a scrappy lineout on the left in the Queensferry twenty-two. B.Tyler to C.Smith then threw a miss pass for Marshall to jink inside his man and back out away from the covering defence to touch down under the posts. Extra's added. Score 41-3.

Changes to the Leith team saw D.Meadows come on for R.Clarke, D.Greenan come on inplace of S.Wyatt, with G.Aitkin shift to inside centre and R.Hastings move on to the right wing. D.Guthrie also got his first start for Leith in place of fellow debutant F.Dick.

Leith's seventh try came curtosy of fabulous solo run from C.Smith. The forwards continued their excellent days work by taking another scrum against the head. B.Tyler released Smith which saw the stand off dummy his opposite man, stepping off his left to get in behind the Queensferry backline. Then sent the covering fullback the wrong way with a step and ran in under the posts. G.Marshall added the extra’s. Score 48-3.

Following the restart Leith won another penalty which was kicked into the Queensferry twenty-two. The lineout was secured and the forward drove into the corner through several phases of play, however they lost the ball forward through one too many phases with the backs having an overlap. The pack redeemed themselves taking another scrum against the head and G.Aitken was held up over the line off a crash ball. Leith had another attacking scrum five metres out. The nine, ten, thirteen combination worked again with Leith captain completing his hat-trick and with the extra's a 30 point haul.

Final score 55-3

Scores:

Tries

G Marshall x 3
B Tyler
D Thomson
P Cyprus
B Place
C Smith

Conversions:
G Marshall x 6

Penalties:
G Marshall

Man of the Match

Ben Place