Edinburgh flavour to Co-Ops win

Five of the six Co-Optimists tries were scored by players based in Edinburgh and the surrounding area as the select side defeated Watsonians 34-17 at Myreside last night.

Stewart’s Melville’s young Australian winger Joe Parvin, Murrayfield Wanderers’ No. 8 Niall Dennis, Lasswade duo Gavin Brown and Neil Clark and Currie winger Grant Somerville all went in for scores.

The other try came from Stirling County prop Mike McDonald while two conversions were added by Greenock Wanderers’ Kenny Diffenthal and Stirling County’s Brian Archibald for a team that fielded ex-Scotland prop Barry Stewart.

For Watsonians, who are getting ready for RBS Premier B in the coming weeks, tries came from Brian Walls, Jamie Niven and Jack Ferguson.

The Co-Ops best try was their first, Lasswade centre Bernie Hennessey starting the move in his own half by slipping fellow centre Archibald into space. Parvin then exchanged passes with full-back Jamie Blackwood with the former using his pace to go in at the corner.

Scotland under-20 hopeful Chris Scott set-up ’Sonians’ best try. The home side took a quick lineout in their own territory and Scott ran 50 metres before the ball was swept right with winger Matt Henderson setting up Niven for the score.

The Co-Ops, with former Currie and Ulster man Mark Blair also involved, led 17-12 at the interval and always looked on top although the performance of Niven impressed ’Sonians coach Marcus Di Rollo, while also on good form was Scott.