Hamilton moved up to fourth in the Tennent’s National League 2 table with a comprehensive 57-5 win over Gordonians.
Nine tries yielded five points against a side that Hamilton were perhaps expected to beat, but they put in a professional performance to do so.
Bulls coach Kenny Brown said: “I’m delighted to score nine tries, but the most pleasing aspect of the performance was that a much improved defensive effort limited them to just one try.
“Hamilton scored some lovely tries, but left perhaps another half-dozen out there.”
Nathan Brown fielded a well-weighted Owen McLeish cross-kick on the full to scamper over for the opening try, after Hamilton had dominated the opening five minutes.
Gary Adams made a typical breenge, only to be stopped five yards short, but when Gordonians killed the ball and were penalised, Ross Jamieson scooped up the ball and tapped to burst through the retreating defence, with McLeish adding the conversion.
Gordonians put together a number of phases which were well defended, with big hits from Scott Alexander and Greg Richardson, but when ball was fed wide, visiting full-back Graeme Crawford dummied and shimmied over.
Adam Ryan came on at scrum-half for Liam Bell, and within a minute he was involved in a try.
Adams surged from a midfield set scrum and made 30 yards, when he was held Ryan took over and gave to Jamieson for his second try.
On the stroke of half-time a Ryan pass into space released John Selfridge, and when he was held he popped a return pass to Ryan, who crossed for the bonus point try, with McLeish converting both, taking the interval lead to 26-5.
The early part of the second half saw plenty of Bulls possession, but without a cutting edge.
However, after 15 minutes Gregor Brodie intercepted inside his own half and raced clear, only to be trip-tackled on the 22, but Brown was tracking the break and took the pop pass to crash over for his second try.
Virtually from the restart, the Bulls swept passes right and Ross Inglis straightened his run before releasing Ben Plant, who burst clear from half-way to score.
Another surging run from the restart saw Scott Whitelaw hauled down a yard short.
Gordonians killed the ball and from the quickly-taken penalty, slick hands gave Ross Inglis room to cross.
When McLeish zipped a lovely pass into the path of Richardson he was held, but offloaded to Euan Ferrie for him to notch his first Hamilton try.
McLeish had converted all three of the scores, and at 52-5 with 15 minutes to go, it looked like being a massive final score.
However, injuries to Andy Wilson and Ross Inglis halted Hamilton’s progress, and Gordonians had their best spell of the match.
Even with that, though, Adams took a pass on the left wing, just inside the opposition half, surged down, barrelling through about six attempted tackles to flop over the line for Hamilton’s ninth try.
