Kirkcaldy at their best and worst in remarkable win over Hamilton

Heavy losers in the cup just two weeks earlier the Blues knew they had a job in front of them when Hamilton returned to Beveridge Park on league business last Saturday.

When the Bulls took an early 7-0 led many Kirkcaldy supporters feared the worst. What unfolded over the 80 minutes no one could have forecast.

A stunning comeback from the unwanted reverse saw the Blues pile in seven unanswered tries to take their tally to 50 against that solitary converted try.

With 15 minutes left the Kirkcaldy bench was emptied and a host of positional changes made.

Rhythm and accuracy disappeared with out trace and another four converted Hamilton tries put a different gloss on proceedings.

Nevertheless, the Blues returned a five point bonus win which reinforces them just behind the league leaders and in a good challenging position.

The game had a quiet opening, almost in shadow boxing style, before Hamilton hooker Billy Simpson pounced for the first try converted by Owen McLeish.

The Blues quickly moved into forward gear and with the pack recycling efficiently the home team reached the scoring zone from which captain Josh Laird launched himself for the equalising try converted by Craig Letham.

The Blues had a set back with the binning of prop Marcus Salt, apparently for tackling an opponent without the ball at a re-start.

He was just back in play when the visitors lost winger Andrew Crawford following a deliberate knock-on.

As the game moved into the second quarter Kirkcaldy were clearly in the ascendant and a further Laird counter converted by Letham and a penalty try gave them a seemingly comfortable

21-7 half time lead.

Kirkcaldy resumed in explosive style as flanker Steve Milne flew after the kick-off ball winning it back from the feet of a Hamilton defender and then driving to the line for a magnificent solo score.

Minutes later Letham extended the Kirkcaldy lead to 36-7 and seemingly on the way to an easy win with the bonus point in the bag.

Veteran warhorse Greg Wallace had just come on as a replacement when he found himself on the scoresheet with the fifth Kirkcaldy try.

The Blues were now dominating every aspect of the game and with Gavin McKenzie and Thomas Glendinning touching down and Letham converting the home team led 50-7.

For whatever reason Quintan Sanft put on all the subs in quick succession which involved several changes of positions.

The Blues may have thought they were in easy street but could not have anticipated the unfolding of the next 15 minutes.

Four unanswered Hamilton tries had Sanft's side staggering. Scott Alexander, Steve Turnbull, Ross Inglis and Ben Plant had the scores all covered by Owen McNish.

With Plant's try the Bulls were now only 15 points behind but time was their enemy and the final whistle blew with a bewildered Kirkcaldy team hardly believing what had happened to them.

There is little doubt that Hamilton are one of the better sides in this division and the Kirkcaldy performance in the first hour was their best for many months, if not years.

The final third however plumbed a new depth, for whatever reason.

This may just have been an aberration, quickly forgotten. If not, future prospects may be endangered.

Kirkcaldy: F Smith, C Littlejohn, T Glendinning, J Laird, O Bonner, C Letham, G McKenzie, D Jennings, C Hamilton, M Salt, C Wood, S Porter, R Bonner, S Milne, C Mann. Replacements: G Wallace, G Queen, G Clunas, A Brooks.

Hamilton Bulls: R Jamieson, B Plant, A yan, R Inglis, A Crawford, O McLeish, A Sinclair, S Leggate, B Simpson, G Finlay, M Crumlish, E Ferrie, G Brodie,S Alexander, G Adams. Replacements: G Jones, J Selfridge, G Richardson, S Turnbull.

Referee: Scott Cubitt

Fife Trophy Centre Star Check: 3 Josh Laird, 2 Rhys Bonner, 1 Steve Milne.

Cumulative: 13 Josh Laird; 11 Jacob Ramsay; 10 Thomas Glendinning; 5 Danny Jennings, Marcus Salt, Connor Wood; 4 Rhys Bonner; 3 Timmy Kennedy, Stuart Porter; 2 Chris Mann, Steve Milne; 1 Seb Evans, Sean McKervall Rhys Bonner, Craig Letham.