Scottish fight back just fails

Their prize was the inaugural Bill and Temple Quaich, commissioned by Scottish's sponsors Whyte & Mackay in recognition of one of the oldest fixtures in English rugby.

The rivalry between the teams dates back to 1879 and is made even more intense by the fact they have shared the Athletic Ground in Richmond for more than 111 years.

In a match worthy of such history, both sides produced committed performances.

But there was also plenty of quality on display from the likes of former internationals Kenny Logan and Bobby Skinstad, who lined up against each other.

Scottish made a flying start with two penalties from fly-half Tom Williams one kicked from the halfway line.

But Richmond struck back immediately, tries coming from Neil Piggot and James Whitfield.

Scottish then controlled the ball for long periods, but were unable to convert pressure into points, and they paid the price when the home side added a Matt Hart penalty and a Richard Emmerson try to the scoreline.

Richmond, leading 20-6 at the break, then had lock Cathal Murphy sent off for punching.

Scottish clawed their way back with three second-half tries from Cameron Johnston, Alex Alesbrook and Logan, but Owen Gregory answered for Richmond to give them a slender lead.

Deep into injury time, Scottish had an opportunity to snatch the game with a long-range penalty, but Williams's kick fell short, handing the win to their fierce rivals.

Richmond: Hart (Brown), Emmerson, Saunders, Goatley, Piggot, Leigh, Taberner (c), Allhusen, Whitfield, Gregory, Dixon, Murphy, Lake, Barlow (Farmer), Skinstad.

London Scottish: Evans, Vines (Dowling), Logan, Heke, Dowling, Williams, Gaule (Kamelivuadreu), Johnson, Byford, Kelly (Macdonald), Soper, McCarthy, Alesbrook, Templeman, Hensley.

LONDON Welsh prepared for their Boxing Day clash away to Harlequins by securing a losing bonus point in their 20-17 defeat by Cornish Pirates.

The Old Deer Park side could have drawn the match on Saturday but for a wayward penalty kick in the final minutes.

Mark Meenan put Welsh 6-0 ahead with two early penalties.

But his good work was brushed aside when Richard Welding touched down under the posts. Tom Barlow converted before adding a penalty kick.

The team from Cornwall then added a second try via centre Kevin James, and Barlow again converted.

Welsh replied with another penalty from Meenan. Gareth Swales then touched down after great work by Meenan and Tim Holgate to narrow the half-time deficit to 17-14.

Meenan brought the scores level when Pirates were penalised for not releasing, but in the 74th minute the Pirates regained the lead with a penalty.

A Pirates knock-on in their own 22 saw Welsh attack the line, but nine attempts failed to break through and a late penalty was put wide.

London Welsh: Swales, Greenwood (Bidwell), Storey, Hayward, Holgate, Meenan, Chilten, Millard, Ritchie, Hannon (Fahey), Quigley, Brownrigg, Fitzgerald (Pettemerides), Etheredge (Griffith), Cox, Tauialo, Shaw, Field.

Barnes warmed up for Saturday's match with leaders Richmond by gaining a convincing 34-13 victory over Tabard last weekend.

First-half tries from Tim McKellar and Travers Bonney gave them a 13-3 half-time advantage, and they piled on the points in the second period.

Number eight Timothy Roles and Effren Heather went over for tries that were converted by Farmer, giving Barnes a 27-3 lead.

Tabard rallied with a try from Jamie Wright, but Barnes restored their advantage when Rory Damant went over and Farmer converted again.

Aaron Gilbert-Smith got a consolation try for Tabard.

Barnes: Farmer, Archer (Mitchell), Heather, Morgans, Robinson, Damant, Springhall, McKellar (Clarke), Bonney, Leigh, Pye, Roome, To'o, Givens (White), Roles.

Staines visit local rivals London Scottish on Saturday, fresh from a convincing 35-8 victory over Old Albanians last weekend.

The home side were on the scoreboard after just five minutes when player-coach Chris Sheasby was held up but off-loaded to scrum-half Dan Apdafydd, who dived over in the corner for his maiden try.

Staines increased their lead with further tries by Andy Turner and James Sanders, with Dave Knill converting the second to make it 17-0, Full-back Chris Bishay and replacement wingers Simon Valentine and Hywel Gammage began to cause the Albanians defence problems with their angled runs.

But the visitors kicked a penalty to reduce the deficit before Knill replied for Staines on the stroke of half-time.

The front row of Nick Lee, Dan Leek, Hugh Innes and replacement Jon Clarke were keeping the pressure on the Albanians scrum and locks Jon Lake and Dave Thorley were ruling the line-outs.

But the man of the match was James Campbell, playing open-side flanker in place of the suspended Tom Carruthers.

Simon Valentine scored two second-half tries and hooker Dan Leek one to put the result beyond doubt.

But Staines could not keep Albanians tryless, as their hooker Gregg Botterman, who has had Premiership experience with Saracens, powered over.

Staines: Bishay, Turner (Gammage), Barlow, Hunt, Koloko (Valentine), Knill, Apdafydd, Lee, Leek (Clarke), Innes, Thorley, Lake, Sanders, Campbell, Sheasby.

Rosslyn Park will be looking to bounce back to form when they host league leaders North Walsham on Saturday.

Despite losing 11-3 at Lydney last Saturday, Park have actually gone up a place in the table to third after Havant were deducted points for fielding too many foreigners in a match in October.

Richard McKeown kicked Park in front with a penalty and, although Craig Jones equalised in similar fashion, Park took control, with McKeown, Jon Underwood and Jim Hayes pressing.

Jones landed another penalty just before half-time, however, and Park blew a golden opportunity to take the lead in the second half.

After being awarded a penalty in front of the posts, Marcus McCluggage took a quick tap which caught out his own team mates. Although Hayes drove to the line, a Park offence enabled Lydney to clear.

Park continued to press without success and instead it was Lydney who scored an injury-time try through scrum-half Leon Liggett.

Rosslyn Park: Jackson; Ridley, Singer, Paul, Chatterton (Lapidus); McKeouwn, McCluggage; Cooke, Sambrook, Blom (Cable); Hayes, Lonsdale (Sedman); Rodman, Blankley, Underwood.

PLAYING the opening minutes a forward short, Twickenham paid the price for their travelling problems with a 47-18 defeat away to Suffolk-based side Hadleigh.

Hadleigh opened the scoring when their number four took clean ball at the lineout and broke through the Twickenham defence to touch down.

The visitors responded, with Phil Astbury slotting a penalty and forward drives allowing scrum-half Jimmy Peters and hooker Chris Tytherleigh to touch down.

But by half-time the home side had added a converted try of their own, leaving Twickenham two points behind at the break.

Hadleigh's five Fijian servicemen took advantage of Twickenham's fallibility after the break, finding enough gaps to run in three tries, two converted, and kick a penalty in just 30 minutes.

The Twickenham forwards never gave up and late arrival Charlie I'anson scored a well- worked try, only to see Hadleigh respond with yet another converted try.

The result leaves Twickenham with plenty of work to do if they are to avoid slipping further down the table.

Twickenham: Nicholson ( Thomas), Tytherleigh, Moses,Wakefield, Goff, Colquorn, Pace, I'anson, Peters, Astbury, Stone, Howden, Isherwood, Rogers.

AMBITIOUS use of their backline saw Chiswick run out 39-10 winners at home to Lockside.

Keith Luckman got the home side off the mark with a simple penalty after 20 minutes.

Luckman then converted a try by Ben Hinze after Chiswick had camped on Lockside's line for several minutes.

Just before the break Mark Jones touched down, after Nick Pritchard had been held up. Luckman's kick bounced wide.

Jones went over for his second try when Pritchard stole a Lockside lineout in the Chiswick 22. Luckman slotted the conversion.

Lockside's fly-half then slipped through a sleepy Chiswick defence to narrow the gap with an unconverted try, but Chiswick responded, with Kelvin Campbell the beneficiary of a driving maul.

Lockside were not willing to give up, however, and their full- back dived over from close range.

A try-saving tackle from Sam Brown spurred Chiswick back into action with two tries of their own.

The first was started by Luckman, who took a high kick, avoided several tackles as he burst forward, and then left it to Pritchard to run the final 60 yards. Luckman converted.

The final try involved Brown, Luckman and sub Lewis Hammond, the latter putting Brown in for a well-deserved town down, which Luckman was unable to convert.

Chiswick: Donaldson (Johnson), Pickering E, Campbell, Smith (Chraplewczyk), Pickering M, Vinden, Robbings, Pritchard (Hammond), Walker, Luckman, Miller, Hinze, Jones, Dick, Brown.

GRASSHOPPERS failed to finish the year with another two league points, going down 27-6 away to London New Zealand.

The home-side were too strong up front, with their inform back row controlling the game well.

Played in the backdrop of Gunnersbury Park, where Grashoppers staged their first game over 55 years ago, the visitors went ahead with Stuart Daniels' penalty.

But London hit back, making space for their winger to grab two tries before the break.

Grasshoppers dominated the start of the second-half, with Daniels adding three points.

But London exerted more pressure and ran in three tries, the last of which was an interception as Grasshoppers tried to force the game.

Grasshoppers return to the pitch on January 7 when they take on Old Verulamians in the league at 2.15pm.