Perthshire burned on day of frosty call-offs

It felt a bit like many cricket Saturdays last summer which were savaged by the weather, only this time instead of rain, frost dug its shards into grounds throughout the country with the exception of a few isolated pockets.

One of those spared was Fort Matilda, where Greenock Wanderers faced up to Perthshire and did such serious damage in the first half that it looked like there really wasn’t much point in coming out for the second – but all credit to Shire as they didn’t come away empty handed.

It probably annoyed Greenock that Perthshire scored first with a try from No 8 James Mair because they turned up the heat then ran in 34 unanswered points before half-time, with two from Martin Lavelle and one each from Brendan McGroarty and Jack Dales, to rack up the try bonus after 25 minutes.

Greenock skipper Leigh Tyler added a try to his two conversions and Dales notched his second try to bring up a 34-7 half-time score, presenting Perthshire with a formidable challenge.

They rose to that challenge and, although Callum Wilson touched down twice for Greenock, the two tries from Mair to complete his hat-trick and one from wing Scott Alcorn, with a couple of conversions from Jonny Armitt, meant that not only did they salvage a try bonus but they won the second half.

Greenock now return to the top of Tennent’s National 3 and although Perthshire came away with exactly the same return as when the two met in September at North Inch, they are still flirting perilously with the drop zone.

In Tennent’s National 1, Dundee’s trip to Heriot’s fell victim to the frost, as did Kirkcaldy’s joust with Dumfries in National 2 and, in National 3, the Howe of Fife v Berwick and Strathmore v Lasswade games.