Penalty decision costs Biggar
BT National League 2
Biggar remain fourth in the BT National League 2 after they narrowly failed to salvage a draw against Dumfries Saints at Hartreemill.
Down 24-5 at the interval, Biggar staged an incredible rally in the second half, but just couldn’t get the final winning try, or a penalty for a draw.
The proverbial ‘game of two halves’ has seldom been more apt; Biggar lost the first 24-5 but won the second 21-5.
An early barrage of attacking play by the visitors had Biggar on the ropes, with Sam Hiddleston (2) and John Carlisle scoring, with Carlisle converting all three and slotting a penalty for a 24-0 lead, before Biggar’s Alistair Sinclair pulled a try back.
Biggar started the second half well but were initially unable to add to their tally, and Saints’ Rory Steele added a fourth try to seemingly put the game out of sight.
However, the county side quickly galvanised and a hard won penalty saw ball won in the air by Jamie Orr and carried forward by Donald Voas. Davy Reive popped the ball out to Ryan Moffit and he crashed over from 10 metres out, with Carne Green converting for 29-12.
Biggar probed again and when a penalty was again won by Orr, Reive provided a link to Moffit, who raced in for a try, which Green converted.
With several minutes remaining Biggar opted to kick a penalty into the corner and while the initial foray was halted on the left, play switched to the right and Green’s long pass found Douglas Notman, who crashed over, with Green’s conversion pulling the score back to 29-26.
In the final minute a break from Green took play deep into the Dumfries half and some good interplay between Alan Warnock, Andrew Peacock and Robbie Lavery maintained the momentum.
A kickable penalty was awarded but Biggar opted to attack, and were repelled by their opponents, with a penalty to Saints allowing them to kick to touch and end the game.