Edinburgh ‘A’ remain unbeaten with Watsonians win

• 24 May 2024
• News

Edinburgh ‘A’ made it three wins from three in the FOSROC Super Series Sprint with a hard-earned 14-21 victory over Watsonians at Meggetland this evening.

The ‘A’ side scored all their points in the first-half as eventual FOSROC Player of the Match Rob Carmichael stretched for the first try of the night before impressive hooker Paddy Harrison popped up with a brace of well-taken scores.

Both sides looked to play with ball in hand despite the wet conditions while there were no shortage of heavy collisions with each outfit going hell for leather to secure the win.

Scrum-half Conor McAlpine and former Edinburgh Rugby winger Freddie Owsley were the try-scorers for Watsonians who were right in the contest up until the full-time whistle.

Watsonians enjoyed the lion’s share of possession to start the match however the hosts failed to capitalise on good territory with Edinburgh A scrapping well and forcing errors in the wet conditions.

Edinburgh burst into life when full-back Jack Brown raced down the near touchline, while strong close-quarter carrying from hooker Paddy Harrison and openside Freddy Douglas kept the visitors in the ascendance.

Paddy Harrison grabbed two scores on the night

Edinburgh ‘A’ finally broke the deadlock after 11 minutes and it was lock Rob Carmichael who crossed the whitewash.

With the pack creeping forward, Carmichael used his length and power to stretch over for the first points of the night. Charlie Shiel added the extras [0-7].

Edinburgh ‘A’ soon doubled their advantage, and it was another forward who managed to get on the scoresheet.

After building the phases, the ball was played down the blindside and with hooker Paddy Harrison hitting a sumptuous short line, the hooker had open prairie ahead of him for the visitors second of the evening. Shiel converted again [0-14].

Watsonians would hit back almost immediately and after tidy handling, scrum-half Conor McAlpine was able to finish in the far corner. Jason Baggott converted well from out wide [7-14].

Shiel had directed traffic for much of the opening 30 minutes and soon the scrum-half turned provider with a lightning break, dummy and offload down the nearside touchline.

With winger Nairn Moncreiff falling over the whitewash, the ball was popped to Harrison who had the simple task of dotting down. With Shiel converting again it was 7-21 at the break.

The visitors continued to dominate the physical battle, however when former Edinburgh man Owsley burst onto the ball for a solo score – which Baggott converted – the momentum swung in the hosts favour [14-21].

Rob Carmichael (pictured right) was named FOSROC Player of the Match

With a step up in pace, the hosts had the upper hand and very nearly raced in for a length of the field score after Edinburgh ‘A’ spilled the ball withing metres of the Watsonians try line.

Edinburgh had to fight to win back the impetus and when Watsonians overthrew a lineout, Adam McBurney – deployed at blindside flanker – mopped up before pinning his lugs back to bring the visitors into the ‘Sonians 22.

Both teams traded possession in the final stages. A series of clever kicks kept Edinburgh ‘A’ pinned inside their 22, however the visitors stayed composed under pressure to clear their lines on several occasions.

Owsley had a half-chance and open ground ahead of him on the left wing in the final moments, however when a slippy ball hit the deck, that was all she wrote for Watsonians.

Edinburgh ‘A’ hold on to maintain their perfect record in this season’s FOSROC Super Series Sprint competition.