Biggar’s step-up dreams fade Hartree Mill side held to a draw by ’Craigs
Biggar’s hopes of promotion from BT National League 2 are all but over after they drew 15-15 with Whitecraigs on Friday night.
The decision was made to play the game under floodlights to avoid an April fixture between the sides.
Peebles, in sixth, have three games in hand over Biggar, while third placed Hamilton, Lasswade in second and leaders Kirkcaldy all have one more to play.
Biggar were without a couple of key playes, with Carne Green having returned to New Zealand, while Ewan Stewart was ill.
Neither absence can be levelled as an excuse, and there was considerable frustration again within the Biggar camp at the inconsistencies of performance.
Possessing a huge pack, Whitecraigs did much to deny Biggar any quality possession for large chunks of the game, and as a result they just couldn’t string together sufficient phases to break down the ’Craigs defence.
The game started brightly enough, with flanker Gregor Stewart taking full advantage of a Whitecraigs overthrow to pinch possession before rounding the cover defence for a good try in the corner, although Euan Bogle was unable to convert.
Whitecraigs replied some 10 minutes later with an opportunistic try, with the scrum-half exploiting a gap to run in from 20 metres, which was unconverted, as was their second try, giving them a 10-5 interval lead.
Biggar stepped it up in the second half, with Bogle striking a penalty to reduce the deficit before adding a conversion to a try from centre Ryan Moffat, which he set up with a good midfield break.
Jamie Orr took play forward from the Moffat offload and then the centre regained possession to barge over.
The 15-10 score was a lot more encouraging, whole but a susceptibility to concede penalties – something this squad has not been particularly guilty of – then cost them dearly.
This gave Whitecraigs the initiative and the opportunity to maintain pressure on the visitors, and the inevitable then came to pass as centre Robbie Lavery was yellow carded – the second in as many games, and this was a ‘team’ yellow, since it was for persistent infringement.
A second yellow for Callum Dunlop meant for a five-minute spell Biggar were down to 13 men, and ’Craigs took advantage with a score in the corner, where a conversion would have meant defeat for Biggar.