Aberdeen Grammar surged back to form in the Premiership after their disappointing defeat to Glasgow Hawks by thrashing Selkirk 44-24.
The Rubislaw side raced into a 15-point lead in as many minutes and finished the half in charge at 32-5 up.
Head coach Ali O’Connor said: “We put last week’s poor performance well and truly behind us. Four tries in the first half was amazing. Centre Tom Aplin had a great game, capping it with a fine day with the boot.”
Winger Doug Russell and stand-off Sam Knudson got Grammar off to a bright start, although Aplin missed both conversions.
Thereafter, he was in impeccable kicking form, adding two penalties, and converting the tries of flanker Will Alton and Nat Coe before the break, while Selkirk had the consolation of a touchdown by full-back Ryan Cottrell. Knudson made it 37-5 after half-time to effectively end the game as a contest, although the home side managed tries from flanker Scott McLymont (2) and centre Henry Birthray to earn a try bonus point.
Grammar had the last word as Aplin raced away to score then added the extras for a personal haul of 19 points.
Meanwhile, Gordonians remain rooted to the bottom of National League 2 after a 19-10 home defeat by Dumfries Saints.
Head coach Ryan Morrice said: “We just didn’t get any breaks. We were our own worst enemies in the first half, making too many unforced errors, but were a different side in the second half.”
The sides turned at half-time with no points on the board but within a minute of the restart Dumfries went ahead after taking a tap penalty, with the Gordonians defence failing to stop hooker Henry McKinnon. When stand-off Jack Steel kicked the conversion with the wind at their backs, the Saints looked set to run out easy winners, only for the Countesswells side to surge back two minutes later through flanker Adam Morrison.
Stand-off Thomas missed the kick and poor defending let the Aberdeen side down in 55 minutes when Saints centre Ewan Miller raced over. Still, Gordonians were not done, and in 72 minutes replacement Cameron Hughes cashed in on good work by captain Danny Usugo to make it 12-10, only for Thomas Urquhart to miss the kick. The visitors finished in style through Steel who raced past the defence, rubbing salt in the wounds with an easy conversion.
