West of Scotland 12 - 63 Currie: Currie spice up title race with nine tries

WEST came close to derailing Ayr's league challenge during the week, but there was to be no such turn-up against the other title challengers, Currie, as the visitors created a perfect storm of nine converted tries to emphasise the difference between the league leaders and the rest.

It was end-of-an-era stuff at Burnbrae, with the home team's last game of the season and farewell performances by former Scotland and Lions hooker Gordon Bulloch, ex-pro Guy Perrett at lock, and coach John Beattie, another Lion, also gracing the touchline for the last time before handing over the stewardship.

But Currie didn't care. They had come with the single-minded determination of taking the maximum haul of points and they had it wrapped up before half time to stay locked together at the top of the table with rivals Ayr, who won earlier in the day.

It started with a try on four minutes after the Currie pack took the ball all the way to the line and flanker Jamie Thomson got the touchdown. Richard Snedden's conversion defied the blustery wind to curl over.

Then it was Scotland under-20 centre James Johnston who broke clear, shrugging off some poor tackles, to run 50 metres for the second try. Johnny Smith, replacing Snedden who was having a head gash stitched up, added the conversion.

West had no answer and the third try was only minutes away too. A surge by the pack, a dash by prop John Cox, quick recycling at the ruck and blindside flanker Steve Burton was over the line. Smith converted. A few minutes later, as the rain started to teem down, Willie Moala sidestepped with almost contemptuous ease to claim the bonus point try and leave West gasping. A patched-up Snedden converted.

After the break, barely a minute had passed before Currie stand off Graham White went under the posts for a fifth try with Snedden converting. West were looking demoralised but rallied after a few phases of possession and Bulloch was able to flop over the line to mark his final appearance with a try.

Any hopes of a miraculous comeback were instantly squashed when Currie No.8 Ross Weston peeled off the back of a scrum to barge over. Snedden converted. Currie's dominance was rubbed it in when a lucky bounce put the ball in the hands of Moala who ran in to score unopposed. Again Snedden added the extras.

Mike Entwhiste hacked a ball ahead and followed up to touch down for an eighth try that took Currie over the 50. A second try for Jamie Thomson stretched it beyond 60 with Smith converting both.

West had just enough energy left to set up a driving maul that collapsed over the line with Bulloch's hand on the ball to neatly round off his career with a second try. Connor Davis converted.

West: A Park, R Dalgliesh, S Malone, J Kerr, A McCall-Hagan; C Davis, M NcConnell; E McLaren, G Bulloch, R Kelso, R McAlpine, G Perrett, Jenkinson, D Young, G Fisken. Subs: N Copeland, D McKenna, S Hunter, A Symington.

Currie: C Kinloch, W Moala, J Johnston, A MacMahon, D Fife; G White, R Snedden; J Cox, A Walker, A Hamilton, R Wislon, A Adam, S Burton, J Thomson, R Weston. Subs: A Reekie, N Scobie, M Entwhistle, S Walker, J Smith.

Scorers: West – Tries: Bulloch 2. Cons: Davis. Currie – Tries: Thomson 2, Johnston, Burton, Moala 2, White, Weston, Entwhistle. Cons: Snedden 5, Smith 4.

Referee: J Van Der Merve.