Dalkeith headed for the Borders to face Gala YM on an incredibly dreich league Saturday, with the rain likely to make it a difficult day for handling rugby. However, the team reached Gala to be informed that the home side could not raise a front row, so Dalkeith had the choice of playing the game with uncontested scrums or to postpone the fixture to a later date, the visitors chose to play the game.

This seemed to have been the right choice, when after a couple of phases the backs threw the ball wide and Thomson shook off some weak home tackles before off-loading to Duke for the opening try in the corner, 0-5 Dalkeith. Straight from the kick off though, Dalkeith give up a cheap penalty and YM kick the goal for 3-5.

The conditions overhead and underfoot are clearly limiting Dalkeith’s ability to move the ball, despite plenty of possession, plus the uncontested scrums are clearly playing right into YM’s hands, in restricting the impact of Dalkeith’s pack and allowing the defensive forwards to break much quicker than normal.

After Dalkeith lose possession on the home 10m line, their fullback recovers and goes on a mazy run before being stopped in the Dalkeith 22, where a hurried clearance gives YM good field position. Gala drive the line but Dalkeith hold and seem to have cleared, but the referee sees a penalty offence and YM take the kick to make things 6-5.

Dalkeith are starting to monopolise possession in the opening quarter, but more often than not the killer pass is being spilled, mainly due to the conditions. However, YM are not looking to do anything with the ball, but to kick deep or high in order to try and prise a mistake from Dalkeith, with the added bonus of getting every 50/50 decision from the local referee, not unusual in such fixtures! In this vein YM pick up another fortunate penalty near the Dalkeith 10m line and choose to kick the goal, but it sails wide.

Dalkeith then attack the 22 restart and Thomson kicks ahead before showing impressive dribbling skills from 30m out before touching the ball down for the score, Clugston converts for a 6-12 lead. Nearly from the restart, Dalkeith steal a YM line out and a great reverse kick from Clugston forces the defence to clear the ball on their own 5m line. Dalkeith take the line out and go on a controlled drive over the YM line for Halliday to score. The conversion is missed, but Dalkeith are now looking well in control at 6-17.

With three tries in the bag, the visitors are now looking for the four try bonus point, but although there is still over 15 mins to the half, Dalkeith struggle to make inroads in the difficult conditions. Moreover, YM continue their policy of kicking long and deep every time that they have possession, pinning the visitors in their half. However, Dalkeith do work hard for good field position, but more than once the final pass releasing an attacker for a near certain score is spilled, as the players continue to struggle with the torrential conditions and the half draws to a close at 6-17.

However, the visitors nerves are eased soon after the restart, as Swanson and Ramsay combine to make great yards, before releasing Walker on the burst who sprints in for the try from halfway, Clugston converts for 6-24. Dalkeith really twist the knife now, with Reid taking the next kick-off on the burst and making good yards, before the pop to Bell allows him to make more good ground before the offload to Montgomery, who chips ahead and beats the defence from 20m out to the touchdown and try number five. Clugston converts for 6-31.

With the win and bonus seemingly in the bag, Dalkeith are now playing with much more confidence and another great backs move releases full-back Hamilton at pace who sucks in the home defence before releasing Simpson for the score in the corner, 6-36 as the conversion is short.

The home side are struggling to get out of their 22 due to the relentless Dalkeith pressure and despite lots of favourable calls from the official, YM don’t look like they can halt further Dalkeith scoring and sure enough a mistake at scrum time allows Walker to pick up and go blind for another try, Clugston making things 6-43 after the conversion.

At this point YM brought on four substitutes from the Gala A game on the neighbouring pitch, but amazingly still couldn’t find a front row!

However, a brief sojourn into the Dalkeith half was soon repelled and replacement Clark burst out of defence and then enjoyed a free run into the corner as the YM defence tired. As time ticked down, Dalkeith had time for one more as another great run out of defence by Hamilton allowed an easy pop to Ramsay who ran in under the posts for the final try and a score of 6-55 with the conversion.

At the half it looked like Dalkeith’s sympathetic approach to allowing the game to proceed may come back to haunt them, but their patience paid off and despite dreadful conditions above and below, the backs finally found their feet and secured the handsome win.

The five point win keeps Dalkeith unbeaten at the top of the league, but it’s the battle of the two unbeaten East League 2 teams next week, as Dunbar visit Dalkeith on league business; 2.00pm KO at Kings Park.