Howe of Fife secure third-place finish in rugby’s Tennent’s National League Division 3 with bonus-point victory

The Cupar club have still got one game left to play – at fourth-from-bottom Whitecraigs this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm – but, being on 73 points from 19 fixtures, they can’t catch up with second-placed Hillhead Jordanhill’s total of 80 from 20 or be overtaken by fourth-placed West of Scotland, on 20 points after concluding their campaign, or fifth-placed Allan Glen’s, on 62 from 19.

A few familiar faces were missing from Howe’s starting line-up for their match against the third-from-bottom Edinburgh side, rescheduled from January due to their Duffus Park pitch being frozen at the time.

That didn’t stop them getting on top during the first 40 minutes, however, though they were let down by inaccuracy and lack of structure in attack and defence, allowing a committed Wanderers XV to find a way to the try-line.

Howe scored tries in response through Euan Muir, Fraser Allan, Brad O’Hanlon and Cameron Patrick, but due to a strong wind, Iain Aitken was only able to convert one of them.

The visitors crossed the line on three occasions to give a half-time scoreline of 22-5 to Howe, a try bonus point already in the bag.

The hosts reacted positively to a half-time review assessing where they’d come up short during the preceding 40 minutes and proceeded to address those shortcomings.

Their movement, support, passing and general straightforward dynamic play paid immediate dividends after the interval, and that continued throughout the second half.

Howe went on to score nine more tries via Will Hodgkins, Kieran Jeffrey, Allan at the double for his hat-trick, O’Hanlon and Euan Muir for braces, Finlay Foulkes, James Lawrie and stand-in scrum-half Sean Murray.

Aitken enjoyed a more profitable time with his boot after the break, converting a further six tries.

The visitors, despite being well outplayed, never stopped trying to get back into the game and were rewarded with two more scores, a final score of 79-27 being a just reward for an enterprising second half from Howe.