STRATHENDRICK 34 - UDDINGSTON 36

For Endrick's first BT West Division 2 home game of the season they welcomed to Ruth Menzies Field Uddingston whose last win against the Fintry men was 23 years ago.

For Endrick's first BT West Division 2 home game of the season they welcomed to Ruth Menzies Field Uddingston whose last win against the Fintry men was 23 years ago. For more than an hour on Saturday it looked as if the run would continue with Endrick in the lead - a lead which at one stage was 19 points. The final 15 minutes of the match belonged to the visitors and they edged in front with only a couple of minutes left.

Endrick started off well and missed a few scoring chances before Ewan MacKay showed his younger colleagues how to do it with a typical forceful drive. Kyle Campbell added the extras but that score seemed to stir the visitors and they immediately launched their counter. Four minutes later they scored their opening try when their left wing crossed over out wide.

The Fintry men were quickly back on the attack but were unable to make the last few yards and with quarter of the came gone their lead was still only two points. They then got everything right in the next ten minutes in which they added three tries. Stuart Forsyth got the first from a quick tap, Dave Wallace showed a fine burst of speed for the next and Ewan MacKay threw in a repeat of his first. Kyle Campbell kicked only one conversion but with only half an hour played Endrick had a 24-5 lead and the try bonus point was already in the bag.

They looked to be home and dry but Uddingston had other ideas and before the interval they scored their second try, this one converted. A couple of minutes into the second half a good take and a peel off a line out produced an excellent try and the conversion had cut Endrick's impressive lead to a mere five points. Kyle Campbell stretched that with a penalty and a minute later 'Shammy' Ogilvy restored the smiles with the bonus earning try and Kyle Campbell added the extras.

With 15 minutes left for play Endrick looked fairly safe with a 15 point lead, but Uddingston were not prepared to leave it at that. Two converted tries in a three minute spell left them only one point adrift.

Uddingston went all out for the winner in the closing stages and Endrick were forced to defend. They did this very well but their big problem was that they could not win the ball. Their backs-to-the-wall display slipped up only once but that gave Uddingston a penalty in front of the posts for the match winner.

On Saturday Endrick travel over the hill for a league match with Lenzie, the kick-off at 3 o'clock.