LASSWADE 19 KIRKCALDY 22 - another losing bonus point

Kirkcaldy had yet to lose a game this season when they arrived for the first ever league encounter at Hawthornden. They left with clear leadership of the Division and after having inflicted the first home league defeat on their hosts since the new stadium opened in August 2007.

With the almost obligatory stiff breeze from Rosewell at their backs in the first half coupled with secure possession from their set pieces, the visitors built up a 22 unanswered point lead come the break. They kept Lasswade at bay going into the third quarter as well but then two quick home tries followed ten minute later by a third with two minutes normal time to go raised the possibility of a Great Escape but time ran out.

On the back foot from the start, an infringement by Lasswade in front of the posts gave fullback, Moffat, the chance to record the first three points of the game with just two minutes gone

Traffic wasn’t all one way, but seven minutes later a pass went astray in an attacking move on half way and the Kirkcaldy standoff, Littlejohn, intercepted to break all the way to the corner for Moffat to make it a seven pointer.

Play stayed mainly in the home half but on their occasional visits to the Blues 22, Lasswade spurned shots at goal against the wind in favour of corner lineouts and a catch and drive but were frustrated on each occasion.

Meanwhile, in spite of being short-handed by two yellow cards, Moffat made full use of four further opportunities at the other end to extend his side’s lead,

Against a determined and organised defence Lasswade had difficulty establishing a rhythm even with the wind behind them although their line was never really threatened and Moffat was kept well out of range.

Having again used penalties to gain lineout territory, Brown’s first shot at goal fell slightly wide on the hour.

However, on the 65th minute the hosts finally found their home form From a lineout on halfway the ball was swung smartly across the field to left winger Gray who needed every millimetre of the playing area to round the last defender and sprint the fifty metres round under the posts for an easy Wood conversion.

Three minutes later Clark stole the ball from a disrupted Kirkcaldy scrum on half way and handed off and slipped out of three tackles before chipping the last opponent and better anticipating the bounce to touch down under the posts for another seven points.

Lasswade piled on the pressure in the last ten minutes with an unlikely win in sight. After several rucks and mauls within the Kirkcaldy 5 metre area, Clark claimed Lasswade’s man of the match when he used one to burrow over in the corner. This time the conversion failed leaving a three point margin and less than a minute of normal time.

In the event, six additional minutes were played and for much of that time the Kirkcaldy pack kept the ball securely in their possession through a series of rucks.

When they finally conceded a penalty it was far out on the right giving Brown a half chance to draw the game with the last kick.

There was a huge Kirkcaldy sigh of relief and a Lasswade one of dismay, when the ball sailed past the posts and the referee blew no-side.

On Saturday, Lasswade have another tough encounter against Dalziel at Motherwell. Kick-off 3pm.