Aberdeen Grammar 23 - 12 Dundee High: Dundee give up early lead all too easily

DUNDEE High are in serious relegation peril after losing the all-Caledonian clash and will remain so if they continue to capitulate in such an alarming manner.

“We just didn’t play in the second half. Waiting for things to happen is just not good enough,” said Ian Rankin, the Dundee 
director of rugby.

His opposite number, Alex Duncan, noted: “It was a workmanlike win, based on a fine effort from our forwards. Matching this big Dundee pack was great, especially as it gives us our first win over Dundee in ten years.”

It could have been so different had the Mayfield men kept up their efforts of the first 20 minutes, during which they scored two tries through flanker Danny Levison and winger Andy McLean, the latter being converted by full-back Jamie Urquhart.

Thereafter, it was all downhill for the visitors who seemed to think they had done enough, only to find nothing can be taken for granted, as Grammar built on a first-half penalty from stand-off Alex Hagart.

Two tries just after the hour turned the game. First, the predatory nature of flanker Greig Ryan paid off, followed two minutes later by the best moment of the game when full back Steve Aitken glided in from the wing. Hagart added the extras with two conversions before sealing the fate of the visitors with two late penalties.

The derby day was given added gloss when Pat Allardice, widow of Scotland scrum-half Dallas 
Allardice – who gained eight caps while playing for Aberdeen in the 1940s – presented the 
Dallas Allardice Trophy to Stuart Corsar, the winning captain.

Scorers: Aberdeen – Tries: Ryan, Aitken. Cons: Hagart (3). Pens: Hagart (2). Dundee High – Tries: Levison, McLean. Con: Urquhart.

Aberdeen Grammar: S Aitken; E Oag, W Wardlaw, P Nacamavuto, C Anderson; A Hagart, J Lauder; S Corsar(c), S O’Connor, N Fraser, S Smith, M Douglas, G Ryan, T McGinness, C Eyre. Subs used: S Bingham, M Reid, M Dixon, M Ward.

Dundee High: J Urquhart; A McLean, H Duthie, J Steele, S Walker; B Laursen, A Dymock; S Longwell, N Dymock(c), A Brown, A Linton, R Hawkins; D Levison, I Wilson, R McIver. Subs used: D Currie, G Robertson, J Morrison, P Stead, R Taylor.

Referee: P Allan