Heriot's 20 - 16 Currie: Defensive distinction

Three weekends without a win does not normally constitute a crisis, but when the club on the wrong end of those statistics are the reigning champions a few questions are sure to be asked.

This was a high-quality game of fierce intensity with both sides committed to making best use of the balmy conditions to attack with the ball in hand.

The match swayed first one way and then the other, Heriot's scored three tries before the visitors had got out of the blocks and Currie added two of their own, all in the first half.

After the break the intensity was just as high but the scoring was limited to just two Currie penalties. Heriot's dogged defence saw them home despite the concerted pressure exerted by the visitors throughout most of the second half.

Not for the first time Currie were complicit in their own downfall with Heriot's first two tries the direct result of interceptions and the third only coming after the home side were gifted turnover ball in the middle of the field. Suffice to say that Ally Donaldson was not looking best pleased although the Currie coach had the good sense to watch most of the first half unfold from the back of the stand, well out of earshot.

Heriot's giant prop Willie Blacklock sparked the first score with a good trundle up the middle of the field that must have been all of 50 metres, but will have been extended with every re-telling, the field opening up after intercepting Matt Scott's pass. The Currie fly-half got back to make the all-important tackle and save his blushes but in the very next play impressive lock Jason Hill sent Colin Goudie over.

The full-back got his second try a little later when Gregor Hunter's floated pass found Goudie lurking on the left wing but the possession came courtesy of Currie who had tamely coughed up turnover ball in midfield. In between these two tries No.8 Struan Dewar had made another clean break from another interception and this time it was Dougie Fife who made the saving tackle.

The referee spotted a knock-on at the breakdown and from the ensuing scrum Heriot's centre Max Learmonth benefited from a muddle in the Currie midfield to pick his gap for his team's third touchdown. With Graham Wilson adding points with the boot, a conversion and a penalty, Heriot's strode into a 20-0 lead and the match was in danger of running away from the visitors.In Currie's first sustained attack inside the opposition red zone No.8 Ross Weston drove over the Heriot's try line not once but twice only for the referee to rule the ball hadn't been grounded.

They needed to make their mark on the scoreboard and eventually Currie were rewarded for all their efforts with two tries in the final four minutes of the first half. After a long period of sustained pressure on the Heriot's line the visitors showed great patience and eventually worked Weston over; this time he made no mistake and the score seemed to galvanise the visitors.

Almost from the restart Currie kicked a penalty to the corner, they opted for an attacking scrum after some more Heriot's indiscipline and fly-half Scott stretched out a hand to score his side's second try in the last move of the half.

Currie started the second half where they left off the first and Heriot's winger Max Nimmo helped their cause by getting himself sin-binned. The visitors slowly narrowed the gap to four points thanks to Hayden Abercrombie's boot, the winger kicking penalties on 54 and 70 minutes.

Heriot's displayed a stubborn streak in defence that has not always been notable at Goldenacre, refusing to buckle either in the tight exchanges or give any space in wider channels. The match ended appropriately enough with Weston enjoying one last charge up the middle of the field but centre Andy McMahon was bundled into touch just inches short and Heriot's were able to clear their lines to a rousing cheer from the stand. Heriot's remain unbeaten, Currie remain without a win.

Scorers: Heriot's: Tries: Goudie 2, Learmonth. Cons: Wilson. Pens: Wilson. Currie: Tries: Weston, Scott. Pens: Abercrombie.

Heriot's: Goudie, Bryce, Learmonth, Hunter, Nimmo; Ferguson, Wilson; Dymock, Burnett, Blacklock, Martin, Hill, Parker, Eccles, Dewar. Subs: Gillies, Cameron, Seydak, Saunders, Goldie.

Currie: Brown, Abercrombie, Johnston, McMahon, Fife; A Binikos, Scott; Sneddon, Cox, Scott, Hamilton, Adam, Cairns, Entwhistle, Weston. Subs: Scobie, Merrilees, Burton, Whittington, Smith.

Referee: C Rudkin.