Agony for Howe yet again as Fife side let things slip in second half

It would have been the most unlikely place to pull off their first win of their BT National 1 campaign – but at half-time at Philiphaugh Howe of Fife must have thought that they could get the better of Selkirk.

It was not to be and although the Duffus Park men returned with a losing bonus, it was very much a case of what might have been.

They led 20-17 at half-time but yet again Howe let things slip after the break and Selkirk came back to clinch a five-pointer with a 36-31 win.

Wing Scott Hendrie had a couple of tries for the home side with Jordan McGowan, David Allan, Fraser Anderson and Scott McDonald adding one apiece and the three conversions by Ciaran Whyte were enough to take them agonisingly out of reach.

The Howe tries all came from the backs with full-back Shaun Gray, wing Eden Cruikshank and centre Duncan McIntyre notching tries as Dom Martin converted two and slotted four penalties.

With Stewarts Melville doing a number on Hamilton, Howe are now eight points adrift of Stew/ Mel at the bottom of the table and 10 points off Hamilton, both of whom they would have to overtake to survive.

At half-time at Beveridge Park, it looked as though Kirkcaldy were in for a real hammering as GHK went in with a 19-3 lead but the home side came out battling and in the end were unlucky not to take more from the BT National 2 clash which ended 26-22 in favour of the Glasgow side.

Mark Taylor had two tries for the visitors with Mike Aird and Danny Campbell adding one each, Campbell’s conversion of his second try the only GHK score in the second half while Kirkcaldy added to Craig Letham’s first half penalty with a couple of tries from Rhys Bonner and one from Greg Wallace with Letham converting two.

A cracking game at North Inch between Perthshire and Daziel in BT National 3 ended honours even with an 18-18 scoreline.

Perthshire can be thankful to Duncan Clow and Ian Williamson for the two tries and Dom O’Conner for the conversion and two penalties which kept them in the game.

Dalziel are only two places above Shire in the league but hold a 10-point advantage – with RHC between them on 14 points – leaving Shire with a lot to do in the second half of the league season.