Kelso 25
Biggar 15
PREMIER C
NORMAN ANDERSON reports from Poynder Park
NOTHING less than a win would have done for Kelso in this, their last home game of the season.
They set off with the wind at their backs and had the first score on the board in just over a minute when Kieran Wilkinson slotted a long penalty.
The Mintos again looked full of running and had an early chance to make ground, but a handling error spoiled the move. It did not take long, however, for Richard Minto to go over for the first Kelso try. Dazzling feet took him through a succession of tackles to score near the posts. Wilkinson converted.
A period of pressure from Biggar saw Kelso caught out at the base of the scrum and Amo Wilbore kicked the resulting penalty to close the gap to seven points.
Just on half-time, Kelso increased the lead after a turnover allowed backs and forwards to combine to put Gregg Minto over in the corner for a 15-3 interval lead.
Kelso kept the pressure on and were rewarded with a penalty after a powerful scrum made Biggar release their binding. Wilkinson was again successful.
Biggar began to come more into the game and a succession of penalties left Kelso vulnerable. Alan Haig was eventually yellow-carded for persistent infringement by the team and Biggar scored in the corner through Craig Parker as Kelso just ran out of defenders. By this time the Tweedsiders had emptied their bench as players picked up injuries.
The momentum was with them, however, and after a break by the retiring Kevin Utterson, Stuart Lowrie was driven over to allow the straight-forward conversion for Wilkinson.
There was enough time left for Biggar to score a soft try by winger Jade Gardiner, with Wilbore converting, but the Poynder Park men recorded a comfortable win to lift their hopes of playing Premier Two rugby next season.
Kelso: K. Wilkinson; A. Haig, R. Minto, K. Utterson, G. Minto; M. Chester, A. Tait; K. Cooney, C. Riddell, A. Marsh, D. Seed, S. Carnegie, I. Wallace, G. Riddell, J. Stevenson. Subs: S. Lowrie, A. Wallace, L. Mallin, M. Hastie.