Biggar Rugby Club move up to tenth in Scottish Hydro Premier 2 table

Dec 17 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

BIGGAR hauled themselves up to fifth spot in the Scottish Hydro Premier 2 table following Saturday’s narrow win over Jed-Forest.

The result gives Biggar a sense of relief, as they moved away from the relegation zone and to within two points of third-placed Gala.

This was a must-win match for both sides, but the visitors took the points courtesy of a Jason Kelly try and Chris McKeand’s conversion and two penalties.

The Riverside Park side, meanwhile, are under increasing pressure to avoid dropping into Premier 3.

Biggar again rang the changes as Chris McKeand was fielded at wing with Douglas Notman at full-back.

Conor Lavery operated in the centre with Simeon James, while in the pack Michael Dunlop held his place in the front row and Alan Warnock returned to the 1st XV in favour of Hugh Green, who started on the bench.

Heavy frost prevented any play at Biggar and the thick mist threatened to do the same at Jed-Forest, with the floodlights on from the start of the 2pm kick-off!

The game had barely started when Jed scored the opening try following a series of keenly-contested scrummages on the Biggar five-metre line.

Flanker Paul Pringle managed to squeeze over and with Ewan Scott kicking the conversion for 7-0.

Attacking straight from kick-off, Jed thought they had scored again as their pack drove the Biggar eight back – but with the referee unsighted he had little option but to award an attacking scrum.

On this occasion Biggar defended well and were able to clear.

Drives from David Reive and Chris McKeand, a brace of free-kicks and two further penalties were well used by Douglas Notman to take play further into the Jed half.

A lineout on the 5m line provided ball from which Sam Muir made a dart for the line and he released Jason Kelly to cross, with McKeand converting for 7-7.

Biggar thought they had created another opening, but a forward pass halted the move.

On the half-hour mark Kelly and Muir, then Reive all went close but were again held up.

But, following a scrum flashpoint Jed were penalised and McKeand slotted for 10-7.

McKeand was just short with his next attempt, but Jed attacked towards the end of the half before being forced out at the corner.

Nine minutes into the second half Biggar hearts were in their mouths when Kevin Anderson was shown a straight red card, but the referee quickly amended his error and instead produced a yellow.

Scott slotted the penalty to tie the scores and Jed looked to make their numerical advantage count.

However, following a neat passage of play from Muir, Notman and Fraley Hopa, and infringement saw a Jed player sin-binned.

A third successive penalty by McKeand gave Biggar a three-point lead but with 20 minutes left, and given the way the game had gone so far, few thought that would be the winning score.

The last quarter was a nervy period as both sides sought to clinch the game. Spilled passes, knock-ons and missed touch kicks were very much the order of the day.

Jed’s Scott went close with a drop-goal attempt in the dying minutes but Biggar held on for a much-needed win, ending a four-game losing streak.