WATSONIANS bounced back from two straight defeats on Saturday with four tries in the last 16 minutes to see off city rivals Edinburgh Accies 38-20 and move up to fourth place in the table.
The hosts were leading 13-10 at Raeburn Place with 30 minutes to go, but when home hooker Mark Price was yellow carded, the visitors used it to their advantage to take control.
The Kiwi second-row Andrew Tweed and returning back-row Stuart McIna
lly took it upon themselves to galvanise the team, while back-row Jonny Pelter was back to his all-action best.
Tries from centre Doug Brown, Tweed, replacement back-row Ian Condell and English back-row Pelter secured Watsonians a bonus point and left head coach Bruce Aitchison happy.
He said: "I am delighted with the win. After two tough weeks that was just what the doctor ordered. It was a game where we had to be patient and our forwards really stepped up to the mark.
"We had chances in the first half and could have stretched our lead, but we were too over anxious at times. In the last 20 minutes, we showed good composure to add four tries and to get the bonus point was just that, a bonus."
The visitors led 10-6 at the break, but a superb converted solo try from Glasgow pro Chris Kinloch, who was playing centre, gave Accies the lead just after half-time. Kinloch, along with young prop Lewis Niven, impressed for Ian Barnes' side.
The Watsonians' pack, with Tweed a stand-out, stuck to their task though and gradually gained the upper hand. Brown went over in the 64th minute and the game was effectively won when Tweed got his first try for the Myreside club five minutes from the end.
There was still time for three more tries in the match, Condell and Pelter for Watsonians and replacement stand-off Alex Blair for Accies.
Scorers: Edinburgh Accies: Tries: Kinloch, Blair. Pens: Walker 2. Cons: Walker 2. Watsonians: Tries: Saena, Brown, Tweed, Condell, Pelter. Pen: Ker. Cons: Ker 5.
Edinburgh Accies: S Walker; M Coupar, C Kinloch, I Berthinussen, D Rattray; R Bonner, M Campbell; N Lah, M Price, L Niven, E Stuart, N Pike, J Berthinussen, J Turner, T Drennan. Subs used: M Strachan, M Smith, A Blair, A Milton.
Watsonians: A Rowe; T Saena, D Brown, R Minto, B Di Rollo; M Ker, J Blackwood; A Fisher, G Wood, K Coertze, T Callander, A Tweed, J Pelter, S McInally, G Hills. Subs used: N Tunnah, G Scott, J Thrush, I Condell, E Howe.
Referee: G Gordon.
The full article contains 450 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
