The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
First round of National Cup is kicking off with tasty-lookingmatches
Having dispensed with a preliminary round way back in what was laughingly called summer time – August 31 to be exact – the first round of the National Cup goes ahead this week.
Although it was probably the best result so far for Dundee High Rugby, when only a late missed penalty led to an 18-17 defeat by Ayr in that preliminary round and denied them progress, the first round proper has some tasty-looking encounters.
An all-National 2 clash between Kirkcaldy and Hamilton at Beveridge Park is one which could be very close to call with Hamilton fourth in the table with a four wins from seven record, one point ahead of Kirkcaldy who boast three wins and a draw from seven.
Hamilton are rattling in an average of 36 points per game while Kirkcaldy are conceding around 18, so it could be all about the Hamilton strikeforce against the Kirkcaldy defence.
There is hardly enough room to slip a cigarette paper between them. Hamilton come off a 57-point win over bottomof-the-table Gordonians, while Kirkcaldy last week stuck 45 points on Glasgow Accies, who also wallow in the nether regions.
Hamilton lost by a point to Newton Stewart and Kirkcaldy won by a point at Bladnoch, so if this was a horse race they would certainly be joint favourites. It could come down to home advantage.
Two National 3 stalwarts go head to head at Duffus Park when
Perthshire travel east to do battle with Howe of Fife. Howe’s win over Murrayfield Wanderers last week took them to equal second spot in National 3 with Greenock Wanderers, denied second outright by a mere 18 points in differential.
Shire are at the other end, toiling in fourthbottom spot with one win from seven but this is not as clear-cut a contest as it may seem.
Earlier this month, Perthshire pitched up at Cupar and gave Howe a real run for their money. They were 18-10 ahead at one point.
Howe ran in 24 unanswered points and, by final whistle, ’Shire had reduced the margin to 39-30 and were painfully unlucky to come away with only the try bonus but not a losing one.
If Saturday’s tie is anywhere near as entertaining, it should be well worth a watch.
Sunnyside is the venue for Strathmore’s tie against Falkirk who, with two wins from seven league outings, are fourthbottom of Division 2 but got a confidence booster last week with a 42-12 win over Whitecraigs, albeit the Aurs Road crew are the only side with a worse defensive record than Falkirk.
The two matches Falkirk have won, the other being against Preston Lodge, have been at home, so Strathmore will travel in hope but are likely to be pushed hard in this one.
In their favour, they will have got rid of a few niggling injuries having had last week off due to a flooded pitch at Carrick.