Amazing reprieve for Kirkcaldy Rugby Club in National League Cup

Kirkcaldy’s National 2 rivals had gone into the final Pool 7 fixture at National 3 outfit Howe of Fife knowing that a bonus point win of 14 points or more would be enough to pip Smith’s men as group winners and seal a quarter-final spot at home to Berwick.

But, despite Falkirk leading 31-10 at half-time at Duffus Park – and well on course for getting the result required – a sterling second half fightback from the Blues’ Fife rivals saw them claw the deficit back to 30-38 by the end, meaning that Kirkcaldy will host the Borderers at Beveridge Park in a last eight encounter this Saturday with a 3pm kick-off.

“Obviously I was pretty chuffed to hear the full-time score from the Howe of Fife game,” Smith told the Fife Free Press.

"They have done us a favour. I briefly spoke to one of the Howe coaches on Saturday after the game and he was saying that they were due a few beers from us!

"It was a great result and we’re pretty buzzing to be through to the quarter-finals because we’ve not had a decent cup run for a while. It’s exciting.”

The news came as a welcome tonic for Kirkcaldy, who lost 65-49 at Newton Stewart in their penultimate league fixture of the season in Dumfries and Galloway, leaving the Blues fifth on 39 points.

Smith added: “Delays on the roads meant we were a bit late down there so we arrived just an hour before kick-off.

"We were extremely short of backs, so we had two forwards on the wing and four forwards on the bench.

"We also lost our scrum half Scott Anderson when he hurt his hamstring about 20 minutes into the game – that’s the third scrum half we’ve had who’s got injured this season – so I ended up playing 60 minutes at number nine.

"That was probably the first time in my playing career I’d been at scrum half. But I felt I had enough experience to understand it, so I just moved the ball and tried to keep the pace high.

"They found us out in the wide areas, scoring a lot of their tries there in the first half, taking advantage of our weak spots.

"So things kind of went against us but at the same time we didn’t show up for the first 20 or 30 minutes and I think we had shipped 40-odd points by half-time.

"Then we came back, won the second half and everybody put in a shift to make the scoreline look a bit more respectable.

"It was a high scoring, entertaining game and I think it would have been a good one to watch.

"It was a very hot day down there as well so once we had the first 40 minutes under our belts, we maybe got a second wind and played at a higher tempo.”

This Saturday’s home quarter-final against Berwick – from which the winners will host Hillhead Jordanhill in the semi-finals on Saturday, April 5 – comes four weeks after Kirkcaldy lost 46-25 at home to the same opponents in a league game.

Smith said: “Berwick put in a good shift that day as they were pretty desperate for a win in their battle against relegation.

"We didn’t play well at all that day, we didn’t front up and they were a lot more physical than us.

"We know whenever we play them it’s going to be a physical encounter and we need to front up.

"Hopefully we get a big turnout to support the boys. It makes a difference sometimes when you’ve got a big support cheering you on.

"It would be a very special day if we ultimately managed to qualify for the final at Murrayfield, as it’s a place that not many people get to play at.

"I think the last time Kirkcaldy were at Murrayfield was back in 2000 when we played in the final against Garnock.”