Dunbar 31-58 Forrester

A LOSING bonus point was all Dunbar were able to take from an 11-try contest won by Forrester at Hallhill on Saturday.

Dunbar produced a spirited opening 40 minutes but fell away after the break, with head coach Mark Coull again missing a host of first-team regulars.

The Capital side took an early lead thanks to a Dudgeon penalty but Coull’s outfit scored the first try of the match, Jamie Peters dancing through the visitors’ defence to score.

Charlton converted to give his side a 7-3 lead but Forrester hit back when Sisson burst through the home defence.

Ronan Stott added a second try five minutes later, before Charlton kicked a penalty to cut the gap.

And as the half-hour neared, Dunbar levelled, with John Peebles barging over and Charlton’s conversion levelling the scores at 17-17, but that was short-lived as Dudgeon kicked the visitors ahead with a penalty.

Dunbar scored a third try of the opening 40 minutes when lock Chris Bryce fell on a loose ball over the Forrester line; Charlton converted and the hosts led 24-20.

Coull’s side looked set to lead at the break but two quick-fire tries from the visitors saw them turn round with a 10-point advantage.

Dudgeon extended the Forrester lead with a penalty shortly after half-time before Dunbar hit back with their fourth try, Denham Blair finishing off a well-constructed move.

Charlton converted to cut the gap to six but a depleted home side wilted and the home side ran in three late tries to kill off the game.

Dunbar travel to third-place Livingston, relegated from the national leagues last season, on Saturday.

Dunbar: G Peebles, J Peebles, G Patrizio, J Peters, J Nicol; R Charlton, T Salkeld; A Wightman, R Blair, S Rodgers, D Moffat, C Bryce, J Lister, N Spowart, D Blair.