BT West One

STEWARTRY 39

IRVINE 8

IRVINE remain in relegation trouble after losing a strange match to Stewartry at Greenlaw.

The visitors played the majority of what rugby broke out but the home side were more clinical on the day - ruthlessly exploiting every opportunity to run in seven tries to Irvine’s one.

The result leaves Irvine - who next entertain Garnock before concluding their campaign away to East Kilbride - five points above the relegation zone after Oban – who still have a game in hand – turned up the heat with a bonus-point victory at home to Kilmarnock.

Irvine dominated possession and territory in the opening 10 minutes but then, in a passage of play that would go on to set the tone for the game, conceded the opening try from Stewartry’s first attack worthy of the name.

This was converted, and the hosts had added two more by the time Per Jacobson got the visitors on the board at last with a penalty to keep them in the hunt at 17-3.

The respite was only temporary however, as the bonus point try arrived before half-time, and the hosts continued to pick Irvine off on the counter-attack in the second half.

The Stewartry number eight received a yellow card as the tourists stepped up their efforts but even this did little to alter the game.

Irvine finally got the try which was the very least their attacking play deserved when Jonathan Goodlet barrelled over at the death following a patient spell of try line pressure, but it was too little, too late.