Agonising loss for High

NATIONAL LEAGUES: Dundee side give their all but miss out by solitary point

When Dundee High Rugby travelled to Netherdale early in the season, they came out at the wrong end of a 39-12 scoreline in their Tennents National 2 clash with Gala.

On Saturday the result was an awful lot closer – as close as it could be with Gala taking the spoils 21-20.

It looked as though Dundee might just be able to nick this one and grab a badly needed win, particularly when they went 13-0 up at half-time.

A Fraser McKay penalty opened the scoring for Dundee, four minutes later flanker Angus Farquhar nabbed a try for McKay to convert and when McKay slotted a second penalty, the first quarter was barely over and Dundee were looking good.

Gala were not to be denied and upped their game from the start of the second half and after 50 minutes scrum-half Simon Fairburn got Gala on the board.

Dan Keddie converted, then as the game entered the final quarter the stand-off went over for the try which, along with his conversion, put Gala ahead 14-13.

Alan Emond stretched the Gala lead and Keddie converted with quarter of an hour left but Dundee, shellshocked to see the match disappearing down the drain, rallied in the final minutes.

Paul Ritch crossed for McKay to convert but try as they might in the closing minutes, Dundee were unable to add to their 20 points so went down in what was an agonisingly close call.

With Hamilton winning at Cartha, Dundee slip to second bottom and travel to Laigh Bent to take on Hamilton on Saturday, which promises not to be one for the faint-hearted.

It was almost as close at Beveridge Park where Kirkcaldy were also trying to put the memory of a 42-12 defeat at Rubislaw earlier in the season to rest and came very close to managing it.

There was little in it in the first half with Alex Black crossing for Kirkcaldy for Finlay Smith to convert then add a penalty while the two tries from Greig Ryan and Sean Mills – from the final play of the half – with a Tom Aplin penalty saw the visitors into a 13-10 halftime lead.

A Smith penalty as the game went into the final quarter levelled the scores, Finlay Bruce and Mills exchanged tries but crucially, only Aplin’s kick was successful.

In the closing minutes Murray Mitchell’s try was converted by Aplin, Dayle Turner’s late try was slotted by Smith so it all hinged agonisingly on one missed conversion.

Looking for a second win in a row in their Tennents National 2 campaign after last week’s win over Whitecraigs, Howe would probably have chosen anywhere but Hartreemill, home of league leaders Biggar.

As it turned out, the final margin of 57-3 was by no means the heftiest Howe have suffered and with the game poised at 17-3 at the break, there was still a bit of hope.

Dylan Suttie had nailed a penalty for Howe in the first half but they were unable to add to that after the break and with Robbie Orr on form for Biggar with a brace of tries and Conor Lavrie racking up 15 points with a try and six conversions, it was tough for Howe.

There were, however, positives to be taken from the performance at Biggar into next Saturday’s game when Glasgow Accies come to Duffus Park.