Biggar 11

GHK 13

Al Stewart at Hatree Mill

After a long unbeaten run Biggar lost out to visitors GHK on Saturday in what was a pulsating if somewhat error-strewn match.

In what for December were near perfect conditions the match began with both sides playing as hard and fast as they could, Biggar taking the ball deep into the opposition half and then 22 as quickly as they could and putting GHK under some real pressure.

Up front Biggar had the advantage early on and this should have allowed them to take the lead after a great break by Aird Jardine took play to the GHK five metre mark. A couple of errors at the scrum base and then as Biggar sought to go for the line meant that GHK were able to hold out. Some good quick hands gave the Glasgow side good ground but a wayward pass meant that their efforts too were unrewarded.

It was Biggar who returned to the attack as their back three with Steele and David Paterson in particular relishing the opportunity to run ball back from clearance kicks. Alisdair Sinclair took a knock early on and was replaced temporarily by David McArthur.

That again Biggar were unable to capitalise was frustrating. There was at least one penalty which Biggar might have elected to kick to goal but the line and drive was preferred but while this was relatively successful the position was eventually lost at scrum time as the South African whistler Jean De Wet chose to penalise Biggar for a binding offence.

It was up to GHK kicker Davy Campbell to break the deadlock the fullback kicking a penalty after Biggar's backs were caught offside.

It was then a bit like waiting for the bus, no sooner does one appear then a second comes along. Within three minutes Jardine kicked Biggar level.

Just five minuets before half time a second Campbell penalty fell short of the posts.

Now playing towards the clubhouse, Biggar had the type of start that they undoubtedly were not wanting.

A turnover on the kick off and then the departure of skipper Dunlop following a nasty cut to the eyebrow led to a reshuffle in the pack, Orr moving back to lock and Stevie Campbell coming on at flanker.

This in itself was no cause for upset but in what was their first real scoring opportunity and coming from a penalty kicked to the corner, GHK took and drove Biggar back, back row man Callum Kerr at the end of the move to touch down for a try, converted by Campbell to take their lead to 10-3.

Undeterred Biggar fought back well to pin GHK in their own half.

There was always that last pass however and with a try beckoning a pas which was lightly behind Lyon forced the big man to swivel before moving the ball on. This gave the GHK defence an extra millisecond and it was hooker Reid who took the interception.

With some 70 metres to go it was always unlikely that he would make it and this gave Biggar just enough time to scramble back and make the tackles.

Having put in a huge shift in defence it was cruel that Orr was then adjudged to have taken out the GHK attack after a prod ahead, this giving Campbell the easiest of kicks to take GHK 10 points clear.

Biggar did not panic however and mounted another series of attacks although again without managing to really control ball for anything other than a couple of phases.

Lavery, Calvin Henderson and then Gregor Stewart all took ball on well, the latter making a good break before off-loading to Lavery who in turn fed McArthur. The winger managed to get within 15 metres of the line but the cover defence got back to do enough to slow ball down albeit illegally, Jardine kicked the penalty for 13-6.

A scrum and another series of drives ended up with Stewart crossing for a try which gave Jardine a kick which had it been successful would heave earned Biggar a deserved draw.

This was asking a lot however and from wide out, and although well enough struck, the ball drifted away past the uprights.

Preparations are now under way for the second half of the league season, this kicking off with a visit from local rivals Peebles for what will be an undoubted cracker of a match.

Biggar: Thomas Steele, Alistair Sinclair, Robbie Lavery, Gregor Stewart, David Paterson, Aird Jardine, David Reive, Donald Voas, Ewan Stewart, Dan O'Connell, Andrew Dunlop, Zander Lyon, Ewan Sanderson, Ross Jackson, Jamie Orr. Reps: Calvin Henderson, Lewis McLinton, Stevie Campbell, David McArthur