Biggar defeated at Kirkcaldy mudbath

Despite the wet conditions at Beveridge Park, Biggar started well and went 3-0 up with an Aird Jardine penalty.

In a see-saw match Kirkcaldy came right back into things with Notman then sent to the bin for what was seen to be a repeated offence of handling the ball on the ground.

Reduced to 14 Biggar had to defend well to keep the hosts out but within minutes the steam rolling back took ball over the line for a try to Owen Bonner, converted by Craig Letham.

But the visitors hit back superbly with Stuart Hull finding Stewart in support.

The centre made ground before converting the two onone and freeing Notman for a sprint to the line for a try converted by Aird Jardine to take Biggar in at half-time 10-7 to the good.

Kirkcaldy exerted some real pressure on the Biggar scrum earning a penalty on the restart.

Interference by Jardine earned him a yellow and Biggar were back to playing a man short.

Aird Jardine engineered a magnificent 40m line break but he elected to grubber to the line when an inside pass to the supporting Hull might have been a better option although the kick did see Biggar get a great field position just 5m from the Kirkcaldy line.

Maintaining their field position Biggar then camped in the home 22 setting up attack after attack but without creating that all-important score which would have put them clear.

And they paid for this when Kirkcaldy snatched the match at the death with a try scored after Biggar lost skipper Andrew Dunlop – the side’s third yellow card of the day – and when they were eventually outnumbered in defence.

The conversion was immaterial but had Biggar opted to kick a penalty with some 15 minutes to go instead of going for the corner, then the pressure would have been huge on the Kirkcaldy kicker and Biggar might have held on to win.

As it was Biggar were left ruing those missed opportunities when they were unable to convert pressure into points.

The result prompted mass celebrations for the Fife side who sitting third bottom needed a win to ensure survival in the league next season albeit that there would have had to have been a real change in fortunes for Ardrossan immediately below to have seen them catch Kirkcaldy.

With three games left against Preston Lodge, Ardrossan and GHK (the first two at home) coach Gary Mercer has set a target of three wins from three.

This should be on but Biggar must be more clinical.