GREENOCK Wanderers travelled to Dunfermline at the weekend with high hopes of getting a win but they went down to a heavy defeat after being outplayed for most of the match against a superior pack of forwards and some hard running backs.

To their credit on what was a tough afternoon Wanderers fought a rearguard defence with some outstanding tackling.

Dunfermline were quickly into their stride, pushing their opponents off the ball. At the first scrum inside their 22 the ball went out from their backs to one side, was shifted back to the other when Wanderers defence held the attack, and then transferred back again to the other side for their winger to score from out wide.

At 5-0 down with just five minutes on the clock Wanderers continued to tackle resolutely with Galbraith and Darroch particularly prominent.

Play was moving from end to end, with Wanderers coming more and more into the contest and only a knock forward stopped a score.

A huge kick downfield by Galbraith caught the home side out of position but the bounce of the ball favoured the home side and another chance to get on the scoreboard was denied to the visitors.

Tries for the home side in the 28th minute and on the half-time whistle gave Wanderers plenty to sort out during the interval at 22-0 down.

Arnott replaced Baxter in the backs at the break however it was the locals that added to their account with a pushover try through their forwards.

Another backs move by the home side added to their account to make it 34-0.

Wanderers did manage to threaten the home line but they were held up and it was a goal-line drop out.

Robb was putting in some good runs for the visitors but ran out of support.

Another change in the backs saw Mitchell coming on at stand-off in a changed line-up due to an injury to Galbraith.

Wanderers kept threatening the home line and were finally rewarded when Murray barged over the line to score after a good mazy run by Darroch.

But with the clock running down the home side broke through once again to make the final score 41-7.

The boisterous home support were delighted to get the five points from the match to leapfrog Wanderers in the table, with the locals describing it as their best performance of the season.