Losing bonus is a small consolation for Dundee

Bt Leagues: High agonisingly close to grabbing victory over Jed

Any foray south of Soutra is fraught with danger for Dundee High Rugby and their latest venture into reiverland on Saturday to take on a Jed side sitting second in BT National 1 proved yet another disappointment.

The Riverside Park men had an impressive start to their season but Dundee also had cause for optimism given their recent form – but in the end they headed home with only a losing bonus to show for their efforts.

The game ended very close, agonisingly so in that the 24-20 scoreline reflected just how near Dundee came to pulling off a win but the three to two try count told for Jed at the end of an absorbing contest.

Yet at half-time Dundee looked out of it, Jed having scored three tries from Sean Goodfellow, Cammy Mckay and Lewis Young, converted by Robbie Yorston, to two penalties from Rory Mcginn.

It was a different story in the second half with Dundee tries from Alasdair Mackie and Neil Herron and conversions by Mcginn and Kieran Scoular, with only a Yorston penalty shifting the Jed side of the scoreboard.

However, with the final Dundee try coming from the final play, Jed simply ran out of time.

That losing bonus leaves Dundee still in sixth spot in the table but no doubt contemplating what might have been.

The two points Kirkcaldy took from their BT National 2 joust at Lasswade were enough to keep them at the top of the table, despite losing 31-29, since the results for their title-chasing rivals went their way.

Hamilton’s game at Whitecraigs was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and Peebles unexpectedly thumped Dumfries, leaving the Beveridge Park outfit two points clear of Biggar and Lasswade.

In a belter of a game at Hawthornden, the lead changed hands several times but with a 15-12 lead at the break, Kirkcaldy must have felt confident.

Lasswade hit back, but Kirkcaldy again took the lead at 29-24 before a final converted score saw the points stay with the hosts.

Matt Thomas grabbed a couple of tries for Lasswade, No 8 Craig Quigley, prop Mark Billingham and Steven Hunter had one each and Andy Bell slotted the three crucial conversions.

Rhys Bonner and Greig Wallace had brace of tries each, Finlay Smith kicked three out of four and a penalty, leaving Kirkcaldy a hugely frustrating three points short of a win.

With a 17-0 scoreline in favour of GHK at half-time, it was unlikely that Howe of Fife’s trip to the west end of Glasgow was going to turn out well – and so it proved – with the home side finishing up 36-14 winners and leapfrogging Howe up the table in the process.

Howe got on the board after the break with a seven-point penalty try and Fraser Ellison’s conversion of Steven Player’s try, but they were playing catch-up all the way, although still sitting seventh – one point above Peebles but now three behind Saturday’s winners GHK.

Despite being 6-3 down at half-time, Perthshire came back to beat bottom of BT National 3, Orkney, and maintain their spot one away from the drop zone.

They only had a Harris penalty to show for their first-half efforts but second-half tries from Jonny Armitt, Dan Bowater and Harris,with Armitt nailing two conversions , saw them come out narrow winners at 22-19.

That win keps Shire in ninth spot, two points above Haddington who are next week’s opponents.