Preston Lodge 20

Biggar 19

Al Stewart at Pennypit

After two games where Biggar have struggled after the interval they sprung a bit of a surprise at Pennypit by coming out all guns blazing to get within one point of their hosts.

This was a keenly contested match between two evenly matched squads, featuring six tries.

Biggar had the best and then, almost immediately, the worst of starts.

McArthur was up quick on to the Preston Lodge winger as he took Jardine's box kick, Notman just managing to charge down the clearance and force a lineout in their 22.

Having regained possession Biggar attacked the blind-side only to see Gregor Stewarts wide pass snapped up by flanker Pete Johnstone who had the legs of the Biggar cover to reach the line from some 50 metres.

Biggar's scrum dominance came to the fore after 10 minutes when after a knock-on gave Preston Lodge the scrum put in.

Biggar took the ball against the head and slowly marched the home 8 back to a point where Andy Dunlop picked and dived for the try.

Richard Peacock's conversion bounce off the upright to deny Biggar a 7-5 lead.

Within three minutes the home team had scored again.

A neat step by fullback Glynn took him past Alistair Sinclair and saw him sprint down a touchline almost bereft of Biggar cover.

Sinclair got back into position but a hefty fend sent him sprawling before an inside pass saw No8 Whittingham crash over for a notable try.

Griffin increased his side's lead to 13-5 with a penalty after a sustained passage of play in the Biggar 22.

With five minutes to go before half time Preston Lodge almost struck again with Whittingham hitting a good angle in a run which took him across Biggar's line only for referee Dawson to adjudge the pass forward.

Able to maintain their field position the third try did eventually come, back rower Jason Riley crossing under a pile of bodies for score which when converted took the lead to 20-5 at half time.

Although 15 points down games can turn quickly and so it was on Saturday as Biggar clawed their way back into things in the space of some 10 minutes.

Prop Dan O'Connell burst up the blind side before neatly off-loading to Sinclair who made it to the line for his second score in as many weeks.

Peacock added the conversion for 20-12.

A good pick and drive by Dunlop almost saw the No 8 notch a second score but some equally good defence brought him down short.

The pressure was sustained however and after a couple of pick and goes by the pack, ball was swung left to Chisholm who stepped inside the cover and lunged for the line for a try which, when converted put Biggar just one point adrift at 20-19.

With just short of a quarter of the match remaining it was definitely a case of 'game on' and all to play for.

In the aftermath it is perhaps surprising that neither side was able to add to their tally in this last quarter.

Play swung from 22 to 22 but rarely any further as defences came out on top and errors meant possession was lost.

Biggar: Richard Peacock, Alistair Sinclair, Douglas Notman, Gregor Stewart, David McArthur, Iain Chisholm, Aird Jardine, Donald Voas, Ewan Stewart, Dan O'Connell, Jamie Orr, Zander Lyon, Ewan Sanderson, Alan Warnock, Andrew Dunlop Reps: Ross Jackson, Calvin Henderson, Andrew Orr (David Paterson).