Rugby: Accies cut Jed-Forest down to size in cup

Platform for a win more comfortable than the scoreline suggests - Jed claimed a converted try from the final play - was a dominant line-out which Accies frequently drove upfield.

"That is such an important weapon," said former Scotland replacement forward Cross, adding: "A driven line-out is often viewed as a negative tactic but it is ideal for creating space for the backs.

"If defenders don't commit then you keep going forward. If they do commit then there is extra space to exploit out wide."

At the heart of an effort which yielded a four-try bonus which could prove useful - the two worst-placed winners of the nine sections of four teams will be required to play off for a quarter-final slot - was former Edinburgh second row Nathan Pike.

As well as taking a welter of possession along the touchline, Pike also had responsibility for making the appropriate calls.

Cross said: "Nathan felt confident enough in our ability to mix things up by driving shorter, four-man, line-outs.

"By keeping the ball we were putting pressure on Jed because in the type of wet conditions we had it's difficult to keep your footing in defence.

"Arguably the difference between the sides was when we moved young Sam Atkin in from the wing to centre because, even on a heavy pitch, he has good balance in his running.

"That's why we wanted to get the ball to an improving player like him with an effective sidestep."

It is hard to compare this Accies side with previous incarnations because relegation always means top prospects, including Tom Brown obliged to move on to Division One at the behest of the SRU while Lewis Niven stepped up to the Edinburgh ranks over the summer.

But the pack looks well equipped to return to the top flight and compete effectively if progress that has seen Accies beaten only by Peebles this season is maintained.

"As well as Nathan Pike doing well at the line-out, our other second row, Greg Campbell, was all over the place with Dan Teague and Tom Drennan also doing well," said Cross.

There was also a debut for former Currie flanker James Taggart who slotted in well and the opportunity was taken to give recent Edinburgh Academy hooker Stewart Normand a first taste of senior rugby from the bench.

Behind the scrum, ex-Border Reivers centre Iain Berthinussen still shows plenty of hunger and powered over for two tries although it is in the back three where some particularly exciting potential can be unlocked.

Josh Pecqueur looked an extremely competent full-back, astute enough to keep the Jed defence turning on the treacherous surface with accurate kicks when he wasn't linking with pacy wingers.

The switch that took age-group cap Atkin to centre allowed David Rattray his first appearance of the season and out wide his pace caused problems culminating in a try which, alas, brought a hamstring strain ending his first appearance of the season prematurely.

Chris Dickie, too, proved effective in attack and Cross said: "Josh is shaping up as a full-back in an interchangeable back three and, most encouraging of all, players brought up from the seconds or under-20s are showing themselves capable of fitting in seamlessly."

Ruairidh Bonner has been around the Raeburn Place scene a while but still has his best rugby years ahead of him and he knocked over the early penalty that earned Accies the initial advantage.

Even when Jed's centres carved open the first of two tries for Gregor Young that merely served as a wake-up call to Accies, who immediately found an extra gear for Ross Browne to send No 8 Tom Drennan over in the corner.

The noteworthy driven line-out splintered Jed for the first of two tries by Iain Berthinussen with the follow-up owing much to a superbly-timed Ross Browne pass and at the interval Accies turned 20-5 in front,

When Rattray sprinted in on the hour, Accies looked home and hosed although the loss of tries to second row Neil Cook and Young again would be sufficient to keep feet on the ground re-entering the all-important second phase of the promotion bid this Saturday.

Scorers:

Edinburgh Accies: Tries: Berthinussen (2), Drennan, Rattray; Con: Bonner; Pen: Bonner. Jed-Forest: Tries: G Young (2), Cook; Con: C Laidlaw.

Edinburgh Accies: J Pecqueur, C Dickie, I Berthinussen, R Browne, S Atkin, R Bonner, M Campbell, J McSorley, M Liness, T Jackson, N Pike, G Campbell, D Teague (c), T Drennan, J Taggart. Subs. - S Normand, C Murray, R Snape, E Bonner, D Rattray.

Jed-Forest: L Young, C Gillon, G Young, G Hill, D Gobby, C Laidlaw, R Goodfellow (c), R Ferguson, S Raeburn, A Croitoru, P Hill, N Cook, A Nagle, D Gillespie, D Grive. Subs. - S Laidlaw, M Weekley, C Hogg, S Lightbody.

"A driven line-out is viewed as a negative tactic, but it is such an important weapon"

Simon cross