Kirkcaldy 27

Peebles 34

John Methven

at Beveridge Park

PEEBLES returned to winning ways at the weekend - thanks mainly to the boot of Greg Raeburn - to keep their slim promotion hopes alive.

The game opened at a fast pace in perfect conditions with Kirkcaldy just having territorial advantage.

There were opportunities at both ends before home prop Danny Jennings crashed over in the tenth minute after two earlier chances hadn't been taken. The fairly straight forward conversion was off target.

A Raeburn penalty narrowed Peebles' deficit but minutes later they suffered a blow when lock Callum Leckey went off with a leg injury.

The pendulum was swinging Kirkcaldy's way with a series of serious attacks spearheaded by Josh Laird.

However they fell to a sucker punch when they lost control in the Peebles half. The ball was whipped away and a mini break by lock Ross Brown fed centre Callum Anderson who went all the way and with Raeburn converting Peebles were now ahead.

The attack minded Kirkcaldy team quickly responded to this set back and after some impressive running, centre Kurt Littlejohn touched down for another unconverted try - tying the scores at 10-10 after 22 minutes of play.

Two minutes later Kirkcaldy produced their try of the season to regain the lead.

Winger Finlay Bruce swept up the ball in his own half, nearly 60 metres out.

With changes of pace and direction, shrugging off several tackles, he ran in for a spectacular score. Jamie Moffat added the conversion points.

Following another Raeburn penalty, Peebles produced their own gem.

The Blues lost control in the visitors' 22 and full back Steven Hamilton snapped up the ball and, deceiving several Kirkcaldy defenders, found himself on his own and raced away for a try near the posts.

With the referee playing added time before the break, the Blues won the bonus point try with lock Michael Harper getting the touch after a driving maul had taken the ball over the line.

Again the try remained unconverted but the Blues led 22-20 at the break.

Seven minutes into the second half a searing break from Laird paved the way for a second Littlejohn try which extended the Kirkcaldy lead to 27-20.

The final quarter belonged to Peebles as the earlier Kirkcaldy intensity fell away.

Blue penalties were squandered and tackles came short as the chances of a home win receded.

Peebles replacement Euan Jackson touched down at the posts following a lost Kirkcaldy line-out and another Raeburn conversion tied the scores.

Kirkcaldy were by no means out of things in the closing quarter but the game was there for Peebles to lose and after a long build up Brown scored the decisive try.

The Blues huffed their way through the closing stages but Peebles had taken charge and were in no mood to let the game slip.

Peebles: S Hamilton, C Blyth, M Brown, C Anderson, S Stoddart, G Raeburn, M Johnstone, C Togia, R McConnell, J Menzies, R Brown, C Lecke, R Guiney, D Hall, K Brown. Replacements:-R Stewart, W Brown, E Jackson