Having dumped the hosts out of the cup on their previous visit the Bulls might have looked forward to the fixture with some optimism. That was all dispelled in a disastrous middle quarter when the home team’s forward power and the strong running of their backs blew the Bulls defence apart.

And yet it started so well for in just 3 minutes, Billy Simpson touched down for Hamilton’s opening converted try although this was against the early run of play where Kirkcaldy had Hamilton under pressure from the off. Bulls chased a hack forward and turned over possession on the Kirkcaldy 10m line. The ball was fed to McLiesh who carried it to the tackle line and offloaded to Adams in the gap and he fed Simpson to go in under the posts.
This was the last glimmer of light for some for it was backs against the wall stuff from then on. Kirkcaldy hit back immediately with a levelling try by their inside centre and although the match seemed to settle until the half hour mark. Hamilton could not capitalise on Kirkaldy’s yellow card when their prop was sin binned for a no arms tackle. Minutes later Mcleish was taken out late and painfully. Only a penalty though. However McLeish’s confidence was knocked for a time and inaccuracy crept in. As the half wore on, Kirkaldy’s pack came more and more into the game.

On 30 minutes the floodgates seemed to open when Kirkaldy attacked the channel beside the scrum and broke clear for their centre to score again under the posts. Two minutes later they were on the board again after a series of 5 metre scrums resulted in a penalty try for a half time score of 21 – 7.

Spectators who went for a comfort break would have missed Kirkaldy’s next try as they scored in the corner straight from the kick off. 3 minutes later Bulls conceded a penalty which was converted and 4 minutes after that a converted try to take the lead to an unassailable 36 – 7, but worse was to follow, for on 54 minutes they were over again for another converted try. Within minutes they had taken their tally to 50 with two more powerful tries.

With 15 minutes left on the clock Hamilton finally clicked, but by then it was all but done and dusted. Alexander got a try back , converted by McLeish. Scrum half Turnbull was next on the board followed quickly by Wilson and then Adams all converted by McLeish. Too little, too late. Bulls left Kirkaldy with only 1 bonus point.

“Everyone is disappointed today,” said coach Kenny Brown. “We had our chances but were bullied by their pack and our defence was not up the constant pressure.”

Report by Jim Browning