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Portobello elected to go with what was a stiff breeze in the first half and showed their intentions from the outset by kicking for the corner whenever they got the opportunity. However, lively play from Dunbar led to them pressing the Portobello line during the first quarter and when the away team strayed offside they were awarded a penalty by a referee that missed nothing in respect of play in the open and round the fringes. Kieran Donnellan did well to convert a difficult kick against the wind from the ten-metre line.

As Portobello persisted with their kicking game, so Dunbar used their forwards to make inroads and again Portobello infringed, this time at a ruck on the halfway line. Ill-advised backchat from the Portobello players to the referee resulted in the penalty being moved ten metres further forward and within kicking distance for Donnellan who wasted no time in adding to Dunbar's tally.

The half came to an end with Portobello clawing three points back through a penalty conceded by the Dunbar backs as they defended inside their twenty-two metre area.

It was Dunbar that looked most likely to score after the restart and so it proved. Quick ball from a ruck was passed down the back line only to find hooker Malcolm Bell loitering with intent and he crashed over for the try. Donnellan added the points. Almost immediately afterwards Dunbar were again awarded a penalty for a Portobello forward entering a maul from the side and again Donnellan made them pay by slotting the conversion.

During the final quarter Portobello enjoyed their best period of the game and Dunbar's discipline was tested to the limit as wave after wave of attacks were repelled by the home team. Donellan's long and accurate clearance kicks were a feature of this game and he was responsible for relieving pressure on his team, especially towards the end of the match. After the game, coach Gerry Donnellan commented that he felt Dunbar had not been able to get into their stride through over-zealous refereeing but was pleased with the resolve his team had shown.

Dunbar are currently lying second in the league table and they can do their cause a great deal of good with a victory this Saturday when they travel to play Hawick Linden, the only unbeaten team in the division.