Tennent's Caledonia Region League, Division One: Grangemouth Stags 16 Dunfermline 35

DUNFERMLINE head coach Gavin Emerson saluted his players for coming out on top of a "well-fought battle" at Grangemouth Stags on Saturday.

The McKane Park team moved clear at the top of the table and boast its only 100 per cent winning record thanks to a third bonus-point triumph on the bounce.

The Stags, with 62-12 and 32-31 triumphs over Hillfoots, and Ellon, behind them, were always likely to prove a tough proposition on their home Glensburgh pitch and they took the early initiative with a penalty and an unconverted try.

Dunfermline's first score of the match, with a successful kick to match, brought them to within one point going in at half-time but a penalty immediately after the restart put Grangemouth four points clear.

Back came the visitors with a second converted try and, after the Stags had gone over for a second unconverted score, Emerson's side went over through Arran Thomas, with the additional two points added, to give them a 21-16 advantage.

Two more converted tries completed an impressive victory, moving Dunfermline three points clear of Ellon, who visit McKane on Saturday.

"It was a well-fought battle, shall we say," Emerson told Press Sport.

"We scored some good team tries and the support was vital; the first person breaking the line didn't necessarily score the try. I said to the boys afterwards that these are the games you train for and want to play in, where it's a real arm-wrestle.

"Both of our normal wingers were out with bugs and viruses, so we had to make some changes, but the guys who stepped in did the job.

"I think the guys were relieved to get the victory, as Grangemouth have been doing well this season."

Emerson, who praised the response to a call for players across the club, and supporters, to travel across the Forth to cheer the team on, believes that this weekend's opponents will pose an even sterner challenge than the Stags.

"Ellon like to move the ball, play quick phases and with width, which is like the way we play," he added.

"It will be a tricky game. If we can put Ellon away (with a try-scoring bonus point) then we can go eight points clear, so that's the aim.

"We're winning games that maybe we didn't win last season, or struggled in, but winning comes with pressure. Everyone is waiting for us to slip up so it's about keeping the guys grounded."

Kick-off on Saturday is at 3pm.

Elsewhere, Dunfermline's women were beaten by Dundee Valkyries in women's Tennent's Caledonia Midlands/East Region League One on Sunday, while the men's seconds, and Rosyth Sharks, were out of action in the men's Caledonia Midlands Region League Division Three.

This Saturday, Dunfermline's seconds host Strathmore seconds, and Rosyth visit Grangemouth Stags seconds, at 3pm, while Dunfermline's women are not scheduled to be in league action.