Birthday Boy Finn Russell kicks one over for Glasgow Warriors ‘A’ at the foot of the monument in Stirling

A young Edinburgh ‘A’ side, which included eight EDPs (Elite Development Players), faced the tall task of taking on an experienced Glasgow Warriors squad, in what was deemed an away fixture for the Gunners at Bridgehaugh, home of Stirling County.

The inaugural reserve team game gave many of Edinburgh’s young Scottish players the chance to gain some valuable minutes in the Gunners shirt, with many of them putting their hands up and staking a claim for promotion into the first team squad.

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Despite early enterprise from the Edinburgh side – led in the main by young half-back pairing Alex Glashan and Ruairi Howarth, who were influential throughout – their flame was soon extinguished by the superior home side.

Edinburgh struggled to penetrate the opposition’s territory for much of the first 40 minutes, with short periods of possession often being cut short through unprovoked errors.

After 20 minutes of resolute defence from Edinburgh Rugby, with EDP hooker Jake Kerr and Scotland under-20 back-row Jamie Ritchie showing up particularly well around the fringes, the opposition went on to score three tries before the half-time whistle – Murray McConnell, Tommy Spinks and Connor Braid all crossing the line, to accompany two early penalties from the boot of Finn Russell.

Half-time: Glasgow Warriors ‘A’ 23 / 0 Edinburgh ‘A’

The second-half looked to continue in the same fashion as the first had ended with Warriors full-back Sean Maitland breaking from deep inside his own half to cross the Edinburgh line after just three minutes.

However, a scoring stalemate ensued for much of the second period, with neither side able to breakdown the opposition defence, to work into a threatening field position.

Edinburgh Rugby scored a consolation try in the dying minutes of the game through Melrose full-back Austin Lockington. The score came following a steady build-up of phases from the Gunners’ forwards, creating the space out wide to allow Chris Auld to deliver a lovely weighted pass into the hands of Lockington, who scampered over the line. Glashan pushed the conversion just wide of the posts.

Full-time: Glagsow Warriors ‘A’ (23) 30 / 5 (0) Edinburgh ‘A’

Edinburgh ‘A’: Greig Tonks; Brett Thompson, Chris Dean, Joaquin Dominguez,  Richard Stewart; Ruairi Howarth, Alex Glashan; Allan Dell, Jake Kerr, Simon Berghan, Alex Toolis, Ben Toolis, Jamie Ritchie, Roddy Grant (captain)and Magnus Bradbury.
Replacements: Lindsey Gibson (24′), Wicus Blaauw, Ewan McQuillin, Ollie Atkins, Ally Miller, Austin Lockington, Sam Pecqueur, Chris Auld.

Glasgow Warriors: Sean Maitland; Lee Jones, Connor Braid,  James Downey, Rory Hughes; Finn Russell, Murray McConnell; Jerry Yanuyanutawa, Fergus Scott, Gary Strain, Tom Ryder, Al Kellock (captain), James Eddie, Tommy Spinks and Adam Ashe.
Replacements: James Malcolm, Matt Goodwin, George Hunter, Steven Findlay, Zander Fagerson, Jamie Gray, Matt Smith, Blair McPherson, Ali Price, Danny McLuskey, Ruaridh Smith, Fraser Lyle.