Howe of Fife do double versus Allan Glen’s despite pitch switch

Howe of Fife winger Greg Frearson breaking through Allan Glen's defence, with Fraser Allan in support, before passing to Duncan McIntyre to score (Pic: Chris Reekie)

Howe of Fife’s match against Allan Glen’s on Saturday had to be moved from Cupar’s Duffus Park to Dundee’s Caird Park all-weather pitch due to last week’s cold snap, but they defied that loss of home advantage to run out 36-23 winners.

Their reverse fixture against the Glaswegians in November had been a close affair, the Fifers edging it by 20-15, and more of the same was expected.

Howe displayed their intentions from the off, moving the heavier visitors’ pack and stretching their defence, with the hosts’ forwards dominant in the scrums, winning a penalty.

Iain Aitken kicked the ball to the corner, and from the lineout, a drive carried it over the try-line for hooker Fraser Allan to score, Aitken converting.

Howe of Fife in possession against Allan Glen's in Dundee on Saturday (Pic: Chris Reekie)

Attacking out of their own half, a Howe back was left isolated and penalised for not releasing. Glen’s slotted over the penalty. A second penalty to Glen’s followed when a Howe forward failed to release and the visitors again kicked for three points.

Another dominant Howe scrum set up an attack, with Aitken releasing Duncan McIntyre, splitting the defence, for the ball to be passed wide to winger Greg Frearson to scamper over the line wide out, but Aitken could not convert.

Howe were playing with speed and accuracy, both in attack and defence. Howe kicked two penalty awards into the corner, and when Glen’s did not contest the lineout, they once more mauled the ball over the line, Brad O’Hanlon grounding it and Aitken converting.

From the restart, Howe drove the ball forward. Andrew Harley produced a deft chip over the top of the defence. The ball bounced, to be retaken by Allan following up. Again, Frearson was given a run in to score a fourth try and secure a bonus point at the half-time whistle. Aitken couldn’t convert.

Howe of Fife on the attack against Glasgow's Allan Glen's in Dundee at the weekend (Pic: Chris Reekie)

It was an auspicious start for Howe, but Ryan Powles, just on as a replacement, was yellow-carded for skulduggery at the breakdown and the visitors made use of their extra man to score and convert.

Howe, once again displaying their resilience, weren’t hampered by being a man down and scored. From a lineout drive, Aitken slipped the ball inside to Frearson, off his wing, to cut through the defence, passing to the supporting McIntyre, to score. Aitken converted.

Glen’s came right back to score with no conversion, leaving the score at 31-18 to Howe.

Howe, after being restored to full complement, lost prop Euan Bisset, adjudged to have deliberately knocked the ball forward while trying to gather a high pass from Glen’s, but the referee evened it up and then went further by showing two yellow cards against the visitors for similar offences.

Howe almost sealed the result when Harley outstripped the defence to score wide out. Aitken, kicking into a cold wind, failed with the conversion.

Glen’s, defiant to the end, scored late on but could not add the extras.

Up next for Howe – currently fourth in rugby’s Tennent’s National League Division 3, with 63 points from 17 fixtures – is a trip to eighth-placed Whitecraigs at the west of Glasgow on Saturday, March 25, with kick-off at 3pm.