Musselburgh 8 Edinburgh Academical 37

MUSSELBURGH remain winless in National League Division 1 after a heavy home defeat to Edinburgh Accies on Saturday.

Musselburgh’s injury woes saw them missing regulars Craig and Danny Owenson, Declan Slaven and Graeme Bowman, but they started well as Gareth Pritchard kicked a penalty within five minutes for a 3-0 lead.

The South African’s opposing stand-off Richard Mill levelled the scores shortly after, but Burgh hit back with the game’s first try as Luke Hutson was driven over from a lineout maul.

Accies, coached by ex-Haddington player Derek O’Riordan, tied things up again as prop Shaun Gunn was driven over for their first try for an 8-8 scoreline.

It took only another five minutes for the visitors to rubberstamp their superiority as a break from halfway and a short pass put scrum half Love in. Mill added the extras to put the Capital side 8-15 ahead.

A third try of the half followed when Jamie Sole, son of ex-Scotland captain David, barged his way over, leaving Grant Talac’s Burgh side 12 points adrift at the interval.

That lead grew thanks to a Mill penalty before the visitors wrapped up a bonus point as number eight Robin Snape was driven over for their fourth try. Mill again converted and Accies’ lead was now 8-30.

A fifth try rounded off an emphatic win for the Raeburn Place side, Sam Chalmers, son of ex-Scotland stand-off Craig, diving over after an excellent move.

Mill converted to round off scoring and leave Burgh in the relegation places, with just one point from their opening three league games.

Talac’s side travel to Glasgow on Saturday as they face fourth-place GHA.

Musselburgh: G Leitch, B Hibberd, J Coutts, R Watt, S Watt; G Pritchard, C Vela; C Slaven, R Gregor, N McNairn, W Fleming, G McKinstry, B Graham, M Fleming, L Hutson.