Kirkcaldy Rugby Club boss Quintan Sanft assesses 'up and down season' after defeat at Berwick in final league game

The Borders side prevailed at Scremerston last Saturday thanks to tries by Aidan Rosie (2), Jordan Jackson, Gareth Clark, Darren Goodfellow, Liam Robson, Duncan Hardie, plus four conversions by Jack Webster.

Kirkcaldy’s defeat means the Fife outfit end league duties this term with 31 points from their 18 matches, currently in eighth spot, although last weekend’s conquerors Berwick could yet overtake them as they have one league fixture remaining, at home to Lasswade on Saturday, March 23.

Blues head coach Quintan Sanft, who wasn’t in attendance for his team’s loss at Scremerston, told the Fife Free Press: “Berwick were still battling to stay up and they needed a bonus point win which they got.

"But we actually played a lot of the boys who haven’t had minutes this year, obviously to give them a run out ahead of the cup game which is coming up this week.

"So we rested a few of our so called main players so they got a well deserved break before we go out this weekend.

"Of course when you rest some of your top players that is always going to have an effect. But the goal was to make sure that the guys who had committed themselves to us this year got some well deserved minutes under their belt, because even although they haven’t played many games they’ve still put in a shift at training which has helped us in the long run.

"It’s been an up and down season for us. The hard thing for us is we don’t have a second 15 team so we need to try to keep everyone motivated and keep working hard.

"Because we’ve only got one team, you’re trying to play your main 15 all the time and it’s not an easy task.

"Hence why we gave the guys that have usually been on the bench or haven't been with the firsts this year a lot of game time last weekend.

"But overall we’ve achieved the goal that we wanted, to make sure that we stay in the league, although it’s been a tough year.”

The Blues have actually managed to stay up pretty comfortably, as bottom club Aberdeen Grammar – who will take the drop to National 3 – are only sitting on 16 points with one league game to play.

Although the league season is now over for Kirkcaldy – who won five and lost 13 of their National 2 matches - they are in competitive action this Saturday as they visit runaway National League Division 4 leaders Garnock in a National League Cup first round tie which kicks off at 3pm.

"A good run in the cup is what we’re aiming for,” Sanft added.

"Garnock will be confident playing on their own pitch. They have only lost one game all season so there is a winning habit in their DNA at the moment.

"We will try and apply some pressure at the start of the game and try and put our foot down.

"There is no doubt that Garnock will raise their game for playing a team from two divisions higher. It’s the same for any team.

"Getting our scalp would be great for their record.”