Tennent’s Premiership week 4 round-up

Marr won the battle of the early Tennent’s Premiership leaders at Fullarton Park on Saturday, prevailing in an 11-try thriller against Currie Chieftains to remain the only unbeaten side in Scotland’s top division.

Four tries after the break saw Marr safely home, with a double from fly-half Colin Sturgeon, who also knocked over five conversions, complementing further scores through Fraser Grant, Greg Montgomery, Will Farquhar, Conor Bickerstaff and Jack Scott.

“That’s the best second-half performance I’ve seen from us, but we’re taking nothing for granted”, said Marr Head Coach Craig Redpath. Acknowledging the early loss to the visitors of influential playmaker Gregor Hunter to injury, he added: “Yes, losing Gregor hurt them, but, for us, Colin Sturgeon was immense, and our defence in the first hour or so was terrific.

“However, we dropped off in the final quarter and if we do that at Mansfield next week (against Hawick), we will get punished, so we have plenty to still work on.”

Marr’s aforementioned next opponents were held to an entertaining home draw by fellow borderers Selkirk, with both sides registering two tries apiece. George Graham said of the result: “It was a typical border derby. I feel our forwards had the measure of Selkirk today and we should have capitalised more. They key moment was just before half time when Selkirk managed to keep out Matty Carryer. That gave them belief and they hung in well. All due respect to Selkirk – they stuck in well and stopped us building momentum. Marr is going to be a massive text next week, and that will make or break our season.”

Visiting boss Scott Wight was delighted with his team’s efforts in picking up two more points in their first season back in the top flight: “It was very pleasing to bounce back from such a disappointing home loss the week before (to Aberdeen Grammar). We had a good look at ourselves on Tuesday night and got the reaction I was after. We had chances to win it but to come away with points from Mansfield is a huge plus. But we have to back this performance up next week at home (against Jed-Forest) to really kick on.

Elsewhere in the Tennent’s Premiership, GHA beat Edinburgh Accies 31-20 to register a first win of the 2019/20 season while Musselburgh, not to be outdone, matched that achievement with an excellent 32-18 victory at Balgray against Glasgow Hawks. Aberdeen Grammar made it two wins on the spin in defeating Jed-Forest 25-15 at Rubislaw.