Preston Lodge bounced back from defeat to Royal High Corstorphine last weekend with a win over Dalziel on Saturday.

There was a change of venue for the match, as the hosts’ Motherwell pitch was declared unplayable earlier in the week, with the county club instead travelling to a neighbouring 3G suface.

Dalziel got the better of the early exchanges and had the first opportunity to put points on the board, but Darren Moon’s penalty was wide.

Mark Steedman’s side mounted a period of attack but a loose pass was intercepted and the visitors’ James Baxendale raced 95 metres unopposed to score. Moon coverted and the hosts led 7-0, but in a blow to everyone, Dalziel were forced to replace their prop after just nine minutes and, with no suitable replacement, scrums became uncontested.

The visitors were not deterred, though, and, after good work by their half-backs, struck back, as Jonathan Brash made good use of little space and snuck over to score. Graeme Patterson’s conversion made it all-square inside the first quarter.

The Preston Lodge backs were thriving on the fast surface, similar to that on which they achieved cup glory at Broadwood last April, and they crossed again in the 18th minute.

A poor clearance kick was gathered by Paul Cooney and his pace was too much for the covering defence as he went over. Patterson added the extras to make it 7-14.

The Lanarkshire outfit rallied and they enjoyed an extended period of possession. They got the ball over the line but the referee adjudged that it had been held up, so a five-metre scrum was the decision.

From the scrum, though, they were not to be denied, as Cameron Scott went over. The conversion was wide, so the county side still led, 12-14.

As the half-hour approached, Cooney’s pace was to the fore as he crossed for his second try, benefiting from a clever loop move from Robertson and Jessop in the midfield.

Patterson, ever-reliable with the boot, again converted and extended the PL lead to 12-21.

The hosts had Clark yellow-carded in the 34th minute and things went from bad to worse as that man Cooney struck once more to complete his hat-trick.

The flying winger’s third try of the afternoon, and fourth in two games, secured the county club the bonus point, and Patterson’s kick meant they led 12-28 at the break.

Clark, returning from the sin bin, got himself on the scoreboard for Dalziel in the 54th minute, but Moon’s missed conversion meant that Steedman’s side were still more than one converted try ahead.

And they extended that advantage with their fifth try of the afternoon, through barnstorming number eight Jason Riley.

Patterson maintained his 100 per cent record off the tee to move the score to 17-35 with just shy of 20 minutes still to play.

The home side never gave up, though, and Moon made amends for earlier misses off the tee with a try after good work from the pack. His conversion redced the deficit to 24-35, although the try had ensured a bonus point for the hosts.

Preston Lodge will hope to put their defeat to RHC behind them in their last Pennypit appearance when they welcome East Kilbride tomorrow (Saturday).

Preston Lodge: G Patterson, J Brash, A Jessop, B Robertson, P Cooney; H Munro, D Gordon; N Hart, P Johnstone, P Dixon, J Sked, B Cowan, R Runciman, C Dixon, J Riley.