Dunbar 10 Livingston 14

DUNBAR fell to third-place Livingston in East 1 action on Saturday but secured another valuable league point in their battle to avoid the drop.

The hosts went into the match in confident mood, having beaten second-place North Berwick a week earlier.

And the Dunbar cause was aided when the West Lothian side lost number eight Cameron Bennett to a yellow card in just the eighth minute.

The hosts took full advantage, scoring two tries, the first through Sandy Thomson before Greig Patrizio fed John Peebles, the experienced winger going over.

Both tries were unconverted but Dunbar were 10-0 to the good when Bennett returned having served his time in the sin-bin.

That was as good as it got for Mark Coull’s side, however, as Livi got back into the match with their first try – which was converted – on 25 minutes.

The hosts lost Neil Spowart to the sin-bin before the break, at which they held a three-point advantage.

Dunbar began the second half playing with a strong wind at their backs but they were unable to make the most of the conditions.

A nasty head injury to try-scorer Thomson saw the game held up for a while as he received treatment, while Dunbar then lost Dylan Moffat to a yellow card with eight minutes left.

It proved crucial, as Livingston picked and drove to the line, scoring the match-winning try.

The hosts were unable to launch an attack that may have seen them snatch victory but their losing bonus point widens the gap to Corstorphine Cougars at the bottom of the table.

Dunbar are now six points clear of the bottom-place club and have two games in hand.

Coull’s side return to league action next Saturday (February 10) when they visit Duns.

Dunbar: B Mills, J Peebles, S Thomson, J Peters, G Peebles; R Charlton, T Salkeld; R Wight, K Donnellan, C Greco, D Moffat, S Crichton, N Spowart, D Philip, G Patrizio.