Biggar held in top of the table tie

Published 12 Oct 2009 12:36 0 Comments

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Biggar 5 v 5 Haddington

BIGGAR maintained their lead in Premier 2 - not courtesy of this hard fought draw with Haddington but instead by the surprise defeat of Stirling County by Glasgow strugglers GHA.

The result makes next Saturdays top-of-the-table clash at Bridgehaugh one of those unmissable contests in the rugby calendar.

Unable to field a trio of Kiwis because of injury and unavailability it was clear that Biggar were going to be tested by a rapidly improving Haddington who, having weathered an early season injury crisis themselves, are now looking much more like the side Biggar faced last season.

The game was dominated by the very blustery conditions, which, on one occasion, swept a seemingly accurate and touchline-bound clearance by visiting stand-off Ross King, right back over his head, resulting in Biggar being awarded a scrum five.

Kicking was then a lottery and an option which the sides used sparingly.

Having won the toss Biggar opted to play with the elements in the first half which surprised many on the touchline, although had Reid been on target with two early long range penalty awards then things would have had a very different complexion.

Haddington aclimatised with a mazy run by their three-quarters seeing the ball transferred the length of the pitch before Andy Scott took the scoring pass.

In what was later to become an extremely crucial piece of play McKeand managed to charged down Willie Haenga's conversion as the scrum half dawdled over his approach.

Play fluctuated around midfield as both teams vied for control of the game and it was Haddington who almost added to their total as missed tackles in midfield again saw them get within the Biggar danger area.

With a magnificent and desperate last ditch tackle Biggar somehow managed to hold the ball up over the line, referee David Changleng being called on, on another three occasions as Haddington continued to make a series of drives to the line.

Happily from a Biggar point of view at any rate, each was halted and each taking play back for another scrum.

Biggar then enjoyed probably their best passage of play another breakout, this time with prop Scott Cameron to the fore but with a knock-on the only result.

Two early penalties - one for a high tackle on prop Kev Anderson which left the wee man motionless for some time - gave Biggar some ground but again they were unable to make much else, until that is a half way steel saw ball well used by Reid to break up the left touchline.

A neat jink and some neat interpassing saw the ball transferred to Douglas Notman and then to McKeand who made the ground for a great try.

Reid was just short with his kick - a difficult attempt from the touchline and across wind.

Haddington had a chance to re-take the lead from a penalty but Haenga was off target.

They managed however to maintain pressure via a knock-on in goal by Michael McKeand who was caught out by the flight of the ball in the breeze.

Reid then engineered another breakout from the Biggar 22, but while C.

McKeand was up in support he couldn't break through while on the second with Cameron again bludgeoning his way upfield the ball was eventually knocked on and the impetus lost.

It was assumed that the draw would see Biggar drop off top spot as Stirling had the apparently straightforward task of disposing of GHA but this game also saw the top team shocked and as a result Biggar cling onto first place, the game on Saturday surely to be an exciting prospect.

Whether Biggar will be able to call on either Kelly or Hopa is debatable but coach Ants Posa will be keen that his troops are in better shape for their trip north.

Biggar. C McKeand; M McKeand, S James, D Notman, S Watson; A Reid, D Reive; K Anderson, M Rutherford, S Cameron, A Cairns, S Coubrough, H Green, A Warnock, G Owens. Replacements C Arthur, A Browning, J Green & C Lavery.

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 09 Oct 09

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