Hamilton 30

Biggar 29

Al Stewart at Bent Road

IN a season which has seen several close run matches, this was another bitter pill for the Biggar side with Hamilton sneaking the win with a try in what was the last movement of the game.

This win puts them ahead of Biggar who secured two points from the match courtesy of a four-try bonus and a losing bonus.

The game had hardly got underway when in a flash Hamilton claimed the first try with scrum half Crush exploiting a gap at the ruck to race home for a score which stand off McLeish pulled wide.

Biggar regained the initiative when kick out of defence was gathered by Ross Bradford and he was able to free fullback Conor Lavery who ripped through the Hamilton defence.

The ball was recycled for Lavery to put in a delicate cross kick for lock Jamie Orr to grab the touchdown.

Green was on target to take his side into a 7-5 lead.

Having been denied a score minutes before, Bradford was then deemed to have been held up after he chased a Green chip.

A number of scrum resets followed before Andrew Orr at No8 picked well to worry the Hamilton defence and make good ground towards the Hamilton line.

Biggar’s pack picked and inched their way towards the line before Green fired a pass wide to hooker Ewan Stewart whose clever twist and spin took him over for a fine score.

Green added the conversion and Biggar were ahead at 14-5.

Hamilton reduced the deficit with Mcleish adding a penalty.

But Biggar bounced back with another lineout drive. Despite their size Hamilton were unable to halt the Biggar maul and Ewan Stewart was in possession to notch a second try.

Green just pulled the ball wide for 19-8.

With barely three minutes remaining Hamilton struck again, a crossing offence giving McLeish the opportunity to kick to the corner.

A line drive taken from Biggar’s playbook saw the Hamilton pack pick and go again before lock Jones was able to dive over for try.

There was - unbelievably - another score in this half, Green taking full advantage from a Hamilton penalty for playing the man without the ball to kick his side ahead at 22-13.

Biggar now turned to face the breeze.

A free kick conceded possession once again to Hamilton but in their attempts to run out of defence a spilled pass was gathered by a grateful Ryan Moffat who made good ground deep into the Hamilton 22.

He popped the ball inside to the supporting Green who touched down before adding the conversion to put Biggar into a 29-13 lead. There was however a good half hour of play and there was no way Hamilton were going to give up without a fight.

The 16 point advantage was short lived as a couple of probing drives later McLeish popped the ball to his hooker, McGrath to score. McLeish was off target with the conversion. 29-18 to Biggar.

In the closing stages Biggar became ever more desperate and eventually given a series of penalties Robbie Lavery was shown a yellow. The quickly taken penalty shortly after this saw lock Jones dive through the pile of bodies to gain the touchdown.

Wilson found his mark to make this a one try match at 29-25.

There was an air of inevitability about the match now and another salvo from a disrupted Biggar line had Hamilton running again at the Biggar line.

McClement was awarded another penalty, and opting to run the ball but Biggar stopped the maul to gain the scrum put in.

With seemingly seconds remaining Biggar opted to pick and go and run the clock down but were then adjudged to have held on the ground.

The resultant penalty the start of yet another series of phases, which saw theball moved at pace from left to right for fullback Inglis to cross in the corner to spark massive celebrations.

Biggar: C. Henderson, E. Stewart, D. O’Connell, A. Warnock, J. Orr, E. Sanderson, R. Jackson, A. Orr, D. Reive, C. Green, R. Stewart, R. Moffat, R. Lavery, R. Bradford, C. Lavery Reps: C. Braid, G. Stewart, C. Dunlop, E. Bogle