Howe of Fife up to fourth in rugby’s Tennent’s National League Division 3 table after 32-27 win in Forfar

That victory in Forfar leaves them on 53 points from 15 fixtures and they’ve got a game in hand on all three teams above them.

Next up for the Cupar club is another road trip, to second-bottom Greenock Wanderers this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm, and they’ll be looking to do the double against their hosts, having walloped them 109-3 in the reverse fixture in Fife at the start of February, that match having been rescheduled after being abandoned first time round due to an injury to a player.

Howe’s starting line-up at Inchmacoble Park at the weekend, captained by Fraser Allan, comprised fellow forwards Rory Johnstone, Kaylan Dewar, Jamie Thomson, Will Hodgkins, Will Howley, James Lawrie and Brad O’Hanlon and backs Andy Harley, Ross Aitken, Greg Frearson, Cameron Patrick, Duncan McIntyre, Stuart Dawson and Sean Murray, with Tristan Bruce, Rob Cromar, Jake Douglas and Ryan Powles as replacements.

From kick-off, Strathmore seemed an altogether sterner proposition than the side given a 41-0 thumping at Duffus Park in October and were quick out of the blocks.

Howe absorbed that early pressure with good defence and scrummaging, leading to a first score within ten minutes, Frearson going over and converting his own try for 7-0.

Just 20 minutes in, Howe were reduced to 14 men by a red card, Strathmore chipping the resulting penalty over for 7-3.Midway through the first half, a high tackle from Strathie saw them get a yellow card and the teams were even again numerically, with Howe chipping the resultant penalty over for 10-3.Good hands and support at the back of a scrum saw McIntyre go over in the corner for an unconverted try to make it 15-3.

Strathmore going back up to 15 didn't stop Douglas breaking through in open play, popping the ball to Harley to go in under the posts with a converted try.

Just before the half-time whistle, Strathmore went over in the corner with a lineout maul for 22-10.

The second half saw Cromar make his senior debut off the bench, and Howe went on to score their fourth try off the back of a lineout. Harley collected and sent Aitken through to go in under the posts for a converted try for 29-10.

Howe were now feeling the effects of being a man down for much of the game and despite a period of brave defence, Strathmore eventually went over twice and converted to make it a five-point game.The Fifers have got six games of the current league campaign left to go after their trip to Greenock and they are at home to Glasgow’s fifth-placed Allan Glen’s on Saturday, March 11; away to eighth-placed Whitecraigs on Saturday, March 25; hosting table-topping Gordonians on Saturday, April 1; away to third-from-bottom Perthshire on Saturday, April 8; at home to Edinburgh’s Royal High, currently propping up the division, on Saturday, April 15; and at home to ninth-placed Murrayfield Wanderers on Saturday, April 22.