Preston Lodge 29

Biggar 50

Al Stewart

at Prestongrange

AFTER three previous postponements this final match was finally played and with the win Biggar achieved their target of 101 National 2 League points - a truly magnificent total and one which not even the most optimistic would not have dreamt possible at the season outset in August.

That 29 points were conceded in this match was frustrating.

But given that there was nothing really at stake and that the match had an ‘end of term’ feel to it this is perhaps not so surprising.

Biggar were able to field a pretty much full 1st XV save for the absence of Ewan Stewart, Davy Reive and Rowan Stewart.

A very unfortunate accidental collision during the warm up involving Gregor Stewart and his brother meant that the centre lasted just a couple of minutes before being forced off the pitch.

Robbie Lavery started at scrum half but with Stewart’s retiral Luhann Kutze made a long awaited return from injury to play at scrum half with Robbie Lavery moving to centre and with Conor Lavery taking over at fullback from the bench.

There was a very nice touch accorded the Biggar side as they were clapped onto the pitch by their hosts in recognition of their Champions status.

Biggar opened the scoring after just four minutes.

The side's ability to attack from anywhere and particularly when a turnover is secured has been a feature of the Biggar play this season and so it proved on Saturday with several tries coming as their hosts had the ball in attack.

A loose pass or ball spilled in contact was quickly snaffled up and with pace and angles of running the Preston Lodge defence was bamboozled and found wanting.

There was a tit-for-tat spell for the best part of the match with no fewer than 13 tries scored - four for the hosts and eight for Biggar.

The home side kept in touch with Biggar with the half time score of 24-17 meaning that the game was still very much for the taking.

An early Biggar try was immediately cancelled out by a brace from Preston Lodge and so at 31-29 there was just two points separating the sides.

Biggar were able to up their game however and a hat-trick of tries for Matthew Stewart took them clear at 50-29.

Matthew had a personal tally of 25 points and a season total of 191.

This was very probably his last game for Biggar as it his intention to move to Glasgow Hawks next season and test himself in the new Premiership.

Points on Saturday went to Ross Bradford, Kutze, Lewis Stewart, Conor Lavery, Matthew Stewart (three tries, five conversions) and Ewan Sanderson.

Biggar: C. Lavery, R. Bradford, G. Stewart, M. Stewart, E. Bogle, J. Barr, R. Lavery, A. Nimmo, C. Mulligan, F. Carossi, J. Orr, A. Warnock, E. Sanderson (Capt), L. Stewart, R. Jackson.

Reps: D. Voas, R. Stewart, A. Howatson, L. Kutze.