Forrester returned to the fortress to play in very contrasting conditions to the previous victory away to Ross High. With a slight breeze and the sun peering through the clouds set up some good playing conditions with the Forrester pitch looking very good considering the recent weather. They faced an Edinburgh Northern side who took the spoils in the previous fixture. With the attendance in the region of 77 and two dogs (not counting non attending season ticket holders) it was Forrester who started the game the better of the two sides. A kick through off the ground from Craig Morrison led to himself and his fellow back row young Scott Robertson chasing down the ball, only for the later to be denied by a hurried kick out behind the posts by the nervy Edinburgh Northern fullback. The resulting scrum gave Forrester a good platform for an attack and with the ball squirting out the side some nice tidying up by scrum half Johnny Graham made sure Forrester kept possession of the ball. With pressure mounting on the Edinburgh Northern defence it was beginning to crack only for a slight knock on from 2nd row Garry Smith saving the Northern defence. The resulting kick was taken well by winger Robbie Douglas who charged forward with intent beating two Northern defenders and feeding Centre Carl Trahms to side step the last defender and in for the first score of the afternoon. The resulting conversion missed by kicker Neil Robertson.

A solid take by the forwards from the restart again gave the Forrester backs a good platform to work with and centre Pietro Junior Crolla pierced the Northern defence with an exciting break through the middle of the park. Northern buckling under the pressure found themselves giving away a penalty for offside and Forrester kicked to touch 15m from the Northern line. The resulting line out was a well worked move allowing hooker Paddy Bree to bulldoze his way to the 5m only for the referee to penalise for holding on with the rest of the pack just a little slow to react to Bree’s advance. Northern kicked the penalty to just outside their 22. From the line out Northern set up a maul only for the more aggressive Forrester pack to counter their advances and for Bree to make up for his penalty moments earlier stealing the ball from the flapping hands of the Northern pack. Some crisp handling followed with again a fine run from Trahms putting Northern on the back foot. Penalty for offside right in front of the posts successfully kicked by Robertson 8-0 13 minutes gone.

With the game in full swing Forrester were in full control of the game and showing their dominance in the scrum and line out with Northern struggling to get any ball. A tasty box kick from Krispy Kreme worker Johnny Graham resulted in the Northern winger collecting the ball only for the galloping Garry Smith to smash him out of the park. A handling error from the Forrester back line resulted in a turn over for the Northern 10 to kick over the top into the Forrester 22. Excellent tracking back by winger Douglas and a crisp pass to full back Stewart Fulton sent a kick back with interest just outside Northern 22. The northern line out stolen by 2nd row Ewan Brodie led to a well worked Forrester attack and with lovely hands and offloading another try looked certain only for fullback Fulton to squander the opportunity and pass the ball forward reaching over the line. It wasn’t long before Forrester were knocking on the door and with some excellent link up play between forwards and backs with Alan Panther, Garry Smith, Pietro Junior Crolla, Ryan Inglis and N Robertson all involved for the later to touch down with a shout of “Look what I can do if you just give me the ball”. He still had the ball for the conversion but missed 13-0 with 25 minutes played.

Northern finally managed to keep the ball and put the Forrester defence under a considerable amount of pressure. Although well organised and working for each other, Northern could not break down the Forrester defence. Unfortunately, laps in concentration resulting in an offside decision in front of the posts allowed Northern to get on the scoreboard 13-3, 33 minutes gone. Straight from the restart Forrester looked to be in again only for the 2v1 halted by the referees dubious decision to deem Fulton’s pass forward. Northern took full advantage and worked their way up the pitch to score an unconverted try against the run of play. 13-8.

Forrester gained possession again and with one of the attending dogs (not female) wanting some of the action bounding onto the park another excellent break from Trahms shrugging off three defenders allowed for some decent offloading and Douglas to show his pace rounding his opposite number to score in the corner. Conversion missed 18-8. Nearing the end of the half and Mark Wyper put in a very solid hit on a Northern players kidneys to the crowds pleasure with Gary Joss quoted as saying “BOOM”.

Some excellent work from forwards getting ball for the backs during the half most notably Callum Aitken stealing and turning over numerous times doing the work that generally goes unnoticed and both backs and forwards demonstrating their ability to keep the ball moving running the opposition ragged.

Half Time 18-8

Into the second half and Foresters continued where they left off from the 1st. John McMillian on as a sub at half time with an instant impact. Superb crash ball, marching deep into the northern half leaving a trail of devastation behind. Fortunately for northern the offload not going to hand and a knock on stopping the line being breached again. However, it did not take long for the score to increase. In a rare visit into the Forrester half Pietro Junior Crolla read the game well and with an interception and juggle set off to what should have been a try for himself. Not for me to say but Crolla appears to have borrowed Fulton’s caravan for the weekend and was caught close to try line. A Sonny Bill like round the back offload to the ever present Morrison ensured the try. Conversion missed again by Robertson 23-8, 44 minutes played.
Northern were definitely feeling the pace of the game and the penalty count was on the up. One penalty saw Panther kick to touch only for a rare moment of sloppiness kicking past the dead ball area. The forwards saved the stand offs blushes as the resulting scrum resulted in another penalty to the Green Machine, most notably Garry Smith having moved from 2nd row to prop having his opposite number up in the air along with Fish on his site as well. Quick thinking from Morrison and a quick tap broke into the opponents half, a good pick and go by Wyper and a little nudge over the top by Panther saw Trahms with an excellent pick up cross the line for his second in the corner. Conversion kicked successfully by Robertson 30-8 51 minutes played.

The 77 and 2 dog crowd had to wait a while for their next score with much of the play concentrated to the middle of the park. A Northern line out just inside their half was seized upon by the much fresher McMillian who burst through the line out and stole the ball from the waiting Northern scrum half. A powerful run, exploding through several Northern players he was eventually stopped just before the line, only for Brodie to receive the offload and grab a score for himself. Fraser Newbury slotting the conversion 37-8, 65 minutes played. The game had been easily won and Forrester looked like they could add plenty more to the scoreboard. Panther cleaned up a grounded ball well only to find a gap and break through the Northern defence again. Swift hands and a two on one for Douglas to score his second of the match but for the referee to again judge that McMillian pass was forward. A gentleman’s applause for the returning Gavin Sisson making his first appearance since injury on the first day of the season. The crowd thought he would mark his comeback with a try, using his trademark sit down hand off and lovely side step/swerve round technique to beat several of the Northern defence, however, Sisson like Fulton in the first half full of excitement dropped the ball over the line. The last score fittingly came from a scrum 5m from the Northern line. Another push from the Forrester pack and a simply pick up and drop over the line for Inglis at the death. Conversion kicked by Newbury 44-8.

Full Time 44-8

Another excellent win for Forrester in the second last game of the season. Dominant in the scrum, line out and in open play, Northern simply did not have an answer. Excellent work at the breakdown from the likes of Aitken providing the turnovers and the ball that the backs thrive on. A close contender for MOM. A great day for the South African Trahms scoring two tries and some very positive line breaks giving him a deserved man of the match, to top off an excellent weekend for him having scooped the prize money at the Poker the night before. Welcome returns for Sisson and Graham having both been out for lengthy spells through injury. Last game of the season against Gala YM at home in three weeks’ time. Bring along a friend to watch and beat today’s attendance.