Biggar bounce up to fourth

Published 12 Mar 2010 13:03 0 Comments

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Biggar 10 v 3 Gala

BIGGAR recorded a pleasing win over their Border visitors and thereby jumped up to 4th place in Premier 2.

This was an entertaining game though again one which was played by two teams who clearly lacked match practice and continuity because of the weather.

This was, after all, only the 4th league game for the clubs in as many months.

Knock-ons, turnovers, dropped passes and the like made for a scrappy yet otherwise entertaining game.

The game was a very close fought encounter but one which Biggar, certainly given their territorial advantage alone, deserved to win.

Gala meanwhile looked somewhat out of sorts and nothing like the XV which turned out at Netherdale back in November to take the game by 16-6.

The first half was a largely equal half with Gala eventually breaking the deadlock on the half hour mark to notch the first points via a penalty from Graham Speirs.

This lead was short lived as Biggar scored a cracking try from a set scrum. In a training ground move Simeon James swept blind to feed Scott Watson who cruised over and then under the posts for a great score converted by Chris McKeand.

Half time came shortly afterwards with Biggar turning round to play 'upfield' and away from the clubhouse.

Biggar managed to 'concede' the penalty count, much to the delight of the visiting support who were nevertheless disappointed that no 'cards' were shown.

Truth be told, Biggar have received yellows on previous occasions but as the visitors seemed to escape even penalties (to wit one blatant 'crossing' offence, minutes after Biggar had been penalised for an identical transgression) perhaps things evened themselves out over the piece.

Unfortunately for them, Gala were unable to convert this advantage into points, much of this largely due to their lineout which failed to provide tidy ball and which was savaged by Fraley Hopa and his lifters who pinched several against the put in.

On other occasions when ball was kicked the back three for Biggar of the McKeand brothers and Watson dealt pretty well with the bouncing ball to run back at the advancing Gala support and to take play back upfield.

Both sides kicked and chased but both, equally, sought to handle the ball and play out wide.

This was not without error, Biggar probably making more line breaks but unable to capitalise on these due to passing errors and/or Gala last ditch defence which too often managed to disrupt the final pass.

Biggar for their part also defended well Michael McKeand putting in a telling tackle as Gala broke wide, and then again as the pack sought to stop Gala at ruck and maul.

Speirs missed a kickable penalty early on before Chris McKeand took Biggar ahead by 10-3 midway through the half.

The same player might have put Biggar out of sight on the half hour mark, but his kick slid wide, this giving Gala some hope in that a converted try would have been sufficient to tie the scores.

As it was and try as they did, Gala failed to cross the line and the game came to its conclusion with Biggar ahead by 10-3, Gala still however able to claim a losing bonus point.

Unfortunately the apparent frustration felt by Gala provoked a verbal outburst by lock Euan Dods as the final whistle blew and he was immediately shown a red card by the official.

Biggar - Chris McKeand, Michael McKeand, Simeon James, Douglas Notman, Scott Watson; Conor Lavery, Sam Muir; Scott Cameron, Michael Rutherford, Kevin Anderson, Grant Owens, Fraley Hopa, Charles Cochrane, Alan Warnock & Jason Kelly. Replacements: Iain Renwick, Andrew Peacock, Mark Fowler & Andrew Goodall.

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 12 Mar 10

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