Published: Friday, 19th March, 2010 11:07am

Biggar's late league push continues

Haddington 0 v 21 Biggar

Chris McKeand was in fine form again for Biggar.

After some concern midweek about the likely availability of players, Biggar managed to field a close to top XV at Haddington, although the 2nd XV game against Currie had to be conceded due to unavailability and injury.

Haddington are on the brink of relegation and it had been expected that they would put up a stiff resistance to Biggar in the hope that points garnered from this game and then from their midweek game against Jedforest would be enough to keep them in Premier 2.

As it was however, with a resurgent Kelso winning on Friday night at Peebles, and a defeat by Biggar, Haddington's hopes are now very slim.

Biggar fielded a young squad once again with halfbacks Iain Renwick and Conor Lavery to the fore and with Josh Harvey, Matthew Hamilton and Andrew Goodall another three youngsters involved in the pack.

Biggar opened strongly and had the vast bulk of possession throughout although as expected Haddington did provide some resistance.

Credit then to Biggar's close defence which prevented Hadington from getting the ball over the line, this including a couple of occasions when ball taken almost to the line by the East Lothian side was held up and driven back.

A Scott Cameron try in the first half, this off a training ground move where the big prop takes a ball in midfield from his scrum half - in this case Sam Muir - Cameron barged his way over from almost the 22 metre line to cross under the posts.

Unfortunately Chris McKeand was off target with the conversion to this try although he did make amends in the second half with a two conversions and two penalties.

Scrum half Muir was the next to score, his try coming after a period of sustained pressure which culminated in a 5-metre attacking scrum.

Taking full advantage of some weak defence Muir broke blind to squeeze in at the corner.

In a game where again Fraley Hopa maintained his exploits on the touchline, plundering ball from his and his opponents throw, it was good to see No 8 Jason Kelly also to the fore, his turnovers doing much to help Biggar maintain the pressure on their hosts.

The clinching score fell to Cameron again, this time after a neat break from replacement No 10 Iain Renwick before feeding his supporting prop.

Another win and another 4 points then, this sufficient to take the side into 3rd place in Premier 2, just one behind GHA, but now level on the 'games played' column.

Biggar. C. McKeand, S. Watson, S. James, D. Notman, M. McKeand, C. Lavery, S. Muir, S. Cameron, M. Rutherford, K. Anderson, F. Hopa, M. Hamilton, A. Goodall, C. Cochrane, J. Kelly. Reps I. Renwick, J. Harvey.