Biggar are back on course for promotion

Feb 14 2008

BIGGAR got their Scottish Hydro-Electric Premier 2 promotion bid back on track on Saturday with a convincing display against Aberdeen Grammar School FP.

The Hartree Mill side tore Aberdeen apart in the second half with a great display of open running rugby, which saw them pick up a vital bonus point that takes them closer to front-runners West of Scotland and Selkirk.

A penalty awarded to Biggar, but reversed after Ted Tauroa got involved with his opposite number saw scrum-half Morgan Ward open the scoring for Aberdeen at 3-0.

Biggar’s Craig Parker was forced off for treatment at this point, with Michael McKeand taking his place on the wing for five minutes.

But Parker returned to kick Biggar level after a good break by Junior Sifa, Murray Thomson and Richard Wood had advanced play deep into Aberdeen’s half.

But Douglas Notman’s clearance kick from the restart failed to find touch and Grammar countered, their pace on the ball and swift handling clearing a path for left-winger Ally Robertson to score in the corner.

Ward missed with the long-range conversion, but Aberdeen now led 5-3.

Jeff Wright then picked up the ball and fed Sam Muir, whose break was advanced by Junior Sifa, who put in a neat grubber kick.

Aberdeen’s Ward looked to have this covered and could easily have put the ball into touch, but instead elected to flick itball towards his fullback. It was intercepted and hacked ahead by Sifa, with Chris McKeand in support and the latter held off the defence before crashing over. Parker missed the conversion but Biggar were level at 8-8.

Having been denied a try due to a forward pass, Aberdeen continued to press, with their pack driving well from a lineout deep inside Biggar’s 22.

Ball was spilled, Wright made an excellent pick-up to secure possession but Muir looked to have been fouled off the ball.

Referee Gus Tweedale waved play on, with the ball moved left to hooker Niall Shannon, who crossed for the try, which Ward converted for a 15-8 lead.

Wright raced 25 metres into Hamilton territory just before half-time and an offside allowed Parker to reduce the half-time deficit to 15-11.

Biggar moved to within a point of their hosts with another Parker penalty three minutes into the second half.

Wright and Sifa then combined to take play deep into the Grammar half, forcing a ruck, but the ball squirmed free only to be picked up by Parker, who went on a run before sending a crossfield kick to the left wing.

While Grammar winger Colin Phillips leapt for the ball, Thomson was content to wait and was rewarded for his patience before nonchalantly crossing over. Parker’s conversion took the score to 21-15.

Parker, Notman and Sifa then combined to set up Muir, who crashed over for 26-15.

At another scrum, Wright took play forward, with Reive, Muir and Sifa linking before Muir arrived on the overlap to crash over for the bonus point-winning fourth try. Parker’s conversion put Biggar 33-15 ahead.

When the Grammar made another handling error from a quick tap penalty, Cairns ran in from a few metres out to score Biggar’s fifth try, with Parker converting for 40-15 with 10 minutes left.

Sifa was penalised on halfway late in the game and the Grammar moved the ball forward quickly, finding a gap for Shannon to crash over for his second try of the afternoon.

Biggar travel to Glasgow side Whitecraigs in the National Cup fourth round on Saturday. Kick-off is at 3pm.