The Chisholm Cup is safely in the trophy cabinet at the Greenlaw after Stewartry trounced Annan in the second leg of the local rivals’ clash.
At the same time five valuable Tennent’s West One league points put the Blacks in top spot although Garnock and Allan Glens both have games in hand.
The 68-7 victory came on the back of the earlier 29-5 cup win.
Before the game kicked off both teams lined up in front of the clubhouse for a minutes applause in support of Ukraine.
Annan got play under way in the sunny but windy conditions and a first penalty saw them kick for the corner but they lost possession from a second and Scott Milligan made thirty metres into their half.
The ball went quickly to Robert Austin who coasted in at the corner in just four minutes. Captain John Picken added the points. 7-0.
From the restart Hogg and Mc Culloch took play back to the half way line winning a scrum where Stewartry were in command although Annan were doing well in the lineouts.
Try number two came in the 18th minute with Maxwell, Milligan and Hogg putting Ty Wilson clear for the touch down, Picken again adding the points, 14-0.
Stewartry’s fast passing game, featuring good play by Nicholson, Armstrong and TJ McCarney, kept play in the Annan half.
An Annan penalty to halfway was gathered by Milligan who put Austin away but he was pushed into touch just short.
Stewartry kept the pressure on, Lindsay breaking clear to put Scott Milligan in for the third try, Picken again on target, 21-0.
And on twenty minutes the bonus point was won from another Blacks attack involving McCarney, Hogg, McGuire and Armstrong making room for Austin’s second, Picken again converting.
Annan managed to put some pressure on the Stewartry line with minutes to go to half time but Scott Milligan grabbed his chance to gather a loose ball and raced away for the fifth try, converted by Picken.
There was just time for another Blacks attack which showed the strength of the back line. Hogg started the move involving McMorran, Root, Hogg again, Armstrong and Austin who was stopped just short but set up
Ty Wilson for the touch down; Try number six was converted
by Picken to make it 42-0 at half time.
Annan started the second half with all guns blazing and were rewarded when Stewartry prop McMorran received a yellow card. They took advantage of the ten minute sin bin to score a converted try,42-7.
Midway through the period Stewartry picked up where they left off at the break, Robert Austin scoring his third try running in from half way to the corner, Picken adding the extras, 49-7.
Seventy Minutes in and Stevie Hogg scored a great individual try although it cost Picken his 100 per cent kicking record for the day. 54-7.
Four minutes later TJ McCarney scored his deserved try, Picken converting, 61-7, and late replacement Michael Yates completed the scoring with try number ten on his return to the Stewartry ranks and Picken landed his ninth conversion for a record 68-7 win over the local rivals.
Stewartry squad. J Picken (c), T Wilson, R Austin, TJ McCarney, S Milligan, D Armstrong, A Nicholson, M McCulloch, K McGuire, I McMorran, D Maxwell, R Porteous, C Root, A Lindsay, S Hogg, C McGuire, J McCulloch, L Spence, M Yates.
