SCOTLAND couldn’t hold onto the 10-0 lead they had established early in the second half, with three tries during the final 12 minutes providing Wales with a comprehensive win.
With Italy picking up a 6-0 home win over England last night, Kenny Murray’s side now face an uphill battle to avoid a second successive Six Nations whitewash at this age level.
Christian Townsend pushed an early penalty to the right of the posts, but the visitors didn’t allow that to slow their purposeful start, and they took the lead just short of the 15-minute mark when No 8 Matt Deehan muscled over from close-range.
Townsend added the extras, but Scotland struggled thereafter for possession and did well to managed their defence so that their line was never really under serious threat, although they did ride their luck a little when home stand-off Jac Lloyd fired a not-rolling-away penalty from 25-yards out and almost directly in front of the posts into the woodwork on the stroke of half-time.
Full-back Robin Mc Lintock’s successful penalty early in the second half stretched Scotland’s advantage to 10 points, but Wales bounced back when Alex Mann did well to collect fellow back-rower Tom Cowan’s offload with his fingertips at knee level and carry three Scottish tacklers over the line.
Scotland seemed rattled for a while, struggling to cope with the swirling wind, but Welsh indiscipline helped them work their way back into the game, and a not releasing penalty offered Mc Lintock an opportunity to show the range of his jack-hammer left boot, firing home an excellent kick from just inside the Welsh half.
However, the visitors fell behind five minutes later when an overthrown line-out handed Wales possession deep inside the Scottish 22, and Joe Hawkins hit a great line at pace to claim the home team’s second try, which Morgan Lloyd converted to give his team a narrow lead with 12 minutes play.
Right wing Harri Houston took the game beyond Scotland’s reach when he finished well in the corner on 74 minutes, and the bonus-point was secured in the final minute by replacement back-row Morgan Morse.
Wales: C Winnett; H Houston, E James (J Westwood 71), J Hawkins, O Andrew; J Lloyd (D Edwards 66), A Hughes (M Lloyd 66); R Barratt ( J Cowell 68), E Daniel (M Veness, 63), A Williams (E Fackrell 76), B Williams, R Woodman (L Jones 76), T Cowan (M Morse 77), E Fackrell, A Mann.
Scotland: R Mc Clintock; R McKnight, D Munn, A Stirrat (E Cunningham 76), O Melville; C Townsend , M Redpath (J Cope 72); M Jones (A Rogers 63), P Harrison (G Hiddleston 69(, G Scougall (C Norrie 49), J Taylor, M Williamson O Oguntibeju (J Spurway 68), R Tait, M Deehan (R Gordon 49).
Referee: Sara Cox (England)
Scorers –
Wales: Try: Mann, Hawkins, Houston Morse; Con: Lloyd, D Edwards 2.
Scotland: Tries: Deehan; Con: Townsend; Pen: Mc Lintock 2.
Scoring sequence (Wales first): 5-0; 7-0 (h-t) 10-0; 10-5; 10-7; 13-7; 13-12; 14-13; 19-13; 24-13; 26-13.