The pattern of the contest was upset when because of injuries in Dunfermline’s front-row ranks the scrums had to be uncontested after only 22 minutes. Injuries to four players meant that Dunfermline had used all their named replacements with only a quarter of the match played. Barely two minutes had been played when GHA showed their intent. A surge from Grant MacDonald created the position for Dominic Dunn to chip the ball through into the right corner for Rangi Jericevich to beat the opposition to the touch. John Brogan missed the conversion.
Gregor McNeish countered with a penalty goal for Dunfermline following some spirited play, but Jericevich soon had his second. That originated in a turn-over scrimmage and series of quick rucks from which the ball was worked to the winger. Brogan converted from five metres in from the right touchline. Dunfermline almost responded when Greg Valentine was denied at the home posts having carved a gaping whole in the home defence, and similarly GHA failed to profit from Andrew Gillman’s break from his own half.
MacDonald then broke clear from just outside the visitors’ 22 for a try. But the only other score of the first half was a second penalty goal by McNeish, leaving GHA with a 19-6 lead at the interval.
Dunfermline opened the second half with spirit forcing GHA to concede a series of penalties for persistent infringement which could have been reinforced with a yellow card, however they escaped this sanction. GHA opened their second half account when Scott Lang broke up the left touchline and chipped ahead, Brogan sprinted through to pick up on the run and dive over. Dunfermline continued to battle on and attempted to run the ball from deep in their own half. This ploy often resulted in GHA forcing them back on the defensive but in spells the Dunfermline side showed good continuity without being able to make the possession count.
GHA, however, took charge in the last quarter. Brogan’s thrust to the goal-line and the forwards’ follow-up created a try for Andy Henderson in 64 minutes, and though Dunfermline full back Scott Swankie had a deserved try six minutes later, McNeish converting, GHA had still two more up their sleeves. A close-range tapped penalty provided scope for Lang to score, and Ryan Jenkins finished off after the visitors had conceded four penalties in quick succession.

Dunfermline will have a break on Saturday to recover from the injuries sustained as Morgan have withdrawn from the Regional Cup competition