Williams hauls Townsend down.

By Duncan Bech, PA Sport

Scotland fans were finally given something to celebrate as Ian McGeechan's side put their woeful form in the 2003 RBS 6 Nations Championship behind them with victory over Wales at Murrayfield.

Successive defeats by Ireland and France plunged the hapless Scots to the foot of the table and they needed a victory over the Welsh to stand any real chance of avoiding the wooden spoon.

And they delivered the win they so desperately needed in fine style with a powerful performance which also witnessed the first Scottish tries of the championship.

Winger Chris Paterson was the star of the show, booting 15 points in a flawless kicking display and crossing in injury-time, while Gregor Townsend - restored at fly-half in place of the injured Brendan Laney - shouldered the playmaking duties with some success.

Bruce Douglas and Simon Taylor both touched down in a first half dominated by the home side, with Edinburgh number eight Taylor giving further indication of his prodigious talent with another athletic display.

Wales - who have still to register a championship win - could make little impression as their forwards were comprehensively outmuscled by a stronger Scotland pack, although their backs looked dangerous on occasion.

Tries from Gareth Cooper, Mark Taylor and Rhys Williams and five points from the boot of Stephen Jones were all they could muster, although their last two touchdowns came in stoppage time with the result already decided.

Welsh efforts were continually hampered by a Scottish defence in no mood to ship too many more points in this year's championship and the home's side desire to avoid another defeat was evident right from the start.

Scotland tore into the opening exchanges with Paterson catching the eye with a thumping tackle on his opposite number Gareth Thomas.

Edinburgh winger Paterson was then called into action again moments later to slot over the first penalty of the afternoon, his kick sailing between the uprights after initially looking off-target.

Scotland continued to press and they seemed to have crossed in the seventh minute when Townsend accepted quick possession from his forwards via Bryan Redpath and slipped through the Welsh defence.

He was hauled down just short of the line by the visiting cover but then managed to reach forward and ground the ball over the whitewash, only for referee Pablo Deluca to rule a double movement.

Wales were off the hook but they hardly had time to catch their breath as the Scots renewed their assault, pushing up the field and securing a promising position close to the visitors' line.

The ball was quickly recycled but instead of spinning it wide, prop Douglas drove through and touched down for his first international try.

It was also Scotland's first try of the championship and Paterson celebrated by slotting over the near-touchline conversion, only for Jones to kick a penalty shortly after to reduce the deficit.

But Scotland were still on top as the prospect of being handed the Six Nations wooden spoon spurred them on, using their forwards to make valuable ground up the middle of the pitch.

Townsend was the beneficiary of his pack's efforts as they continued to win quality possession and he was able to call the shots behind the scrum, spinning out a long-range 21st-minute pass which looked set to bounce into touch.

But Taylor, Scotland's most consistent performer in this year's championship, was lying in wait on the left wing and he gathered up the ball before using his pace and power to cut through the Welsh defence.

The touchdown was just reward for Taylor given his recent performances and Paterson was on hand to land the conversion, pushing the home side into a 17-3 lead.

But Wales hit back in the 37th minute when scrum-half Cooper capitalised on a barnstorming run from Saracens centre Tom Shanklin by scrambling over.

Jones added the extras but Paterson had the last word of the half by stroking over his second penalty.

Paterson ensured his team retained the initiative two minutes after the break by slotting over another three points, with Wales struggling to make any impression.

They threatened in the 47th minute when Mark Taylor broke the first tackle but just as he slipped the ball out of the second referee Tony Spreadbury - who had replaced Delta at half-time - blew up for a forward pass.

Wales spent virtually the rest of the half camped in enemy territory but despite the sin-binning of Scotland centre James McLaren, they could not break through.

Instead, Scotland broke from their own half in the 41st minute and scored their third and final try through Paterson, who gratefully collapsed on a neat chip through from prop Tom Smith.

Inevitably Paterson converted but Taylor and Rhys Williams completed the scoring with injury-time tries as the Scottish defence fell to pieces in the final moments.

Teams:

Scotland: G. Metcalfe, Paterson, McLaren, Utterson, Logan, Townsend, Redpath, T. Smith, Bulloch, Douglas, Murray, Grimes, White, Mower, Taylor.

Replacements: Craig for Utterson (51), G. Ross for Townsend (80), Blair for Redpath (74), Russell for Bulloch (77), G. Kerr for Douglas (61), Hines for Grimes (75), Petrie for White (80).

Sin Bin: McLaren (72).

Tries: Douglas, Taylor, Paterson.

Cons: Paterson 3.

Pens: Paterson 3.

Wales: K. Morgan, R. Williams, Taylor, Shanklin, G. Thomas, S. Jones, G. Cooper, I. Thomas, G. Williams, Evans, Sidoli, S. Williams, D. Jones, M. Williams, G. Thomas.

Replacements: Watkins for K. Morgan (63), Harris for Shanklin (78), Peel for G. Cooper (77), Jenkins for Evans (42), Llewellyn for S. Williams (59), Charvis for G. Thomas (59).

Not Used: M. Davies.

Tries: G. Cooper, R. Williams, Taylor.

Cons: S. Jones 2.

Pens: S. Jones.

Att: 67,000

Ref: Pablo Deluca (Argentina).