IRVINE showed their draw at Park Farm was no fluke with a hard-earned victory against Dumfries at Marress.

The visitors led for much of a nervy match, but Lincoln Ormsby’s opportunistic charge-down try in the last minute, converted by Blair Jardine, won the match for the hosts who broke into the top half of the league for only the second time this season.

Irvine now have a week off before travelling to Hawick YM on Valentine’s Day.

It took over half an hour for the opening try to materialise, but that was not for lack of effort on both sides.

Irvine had the better openings with Alistair Maxwell tackled short when looking set to score, while Ruchi Filander had sight of the line only to run into traffic.

In between these chances, Kris Hobson missed from the kicking tee.

When the deadlock was eventually broken, inevitably it was the visitors who went ahead. They served due notice of what was to come with a dangerous spell of possession in the Irvine 22, and when it was ruled that the hosts had carried the ball out when the attack was forced into touch on the right, they wasted no time in capitalising, with number eight Paddy Coupar forcing his way over in the corner.

Centre John Carlisle missed the conversion but Irvine’s problems deepened six minutes before the interval, when the mounting penalty count against them ranslated into a yellow card, with Andrew Lang unfortunate to be the offender.

Rather than acting as a setback however, the sin-binning actually served as a catalyst for Irvine’s best spell of the match, both in attack and, crucially, in defence.

Twice Dumfries threatened to extend their lead, only to be thwarted by great try-line defence, before the hosts blew the game open as half-time approached.

Kris Hobson scored a penalty to get Irvine on the board at last, before his brother Craig took a pass from Maxwell and sent the supporting Jardine over in the left corner, to put the home side in the lead for the first time at 8-5.

Unfortunately Hobson missed the conversion, and to add insult to injury, replacement Adam Taylor scored the visitors’ second try of the afternoon to put them back in front at half-time.

Dumfries made the stronger start to the second half, but Irvine played their way back on top, and after missing with an earlier attempt Hobson edged the hosts back in front by a point with a penalty kick from in front.

Irvine lived increasingly dangerously as the half went on, conceding a penalty in a central position which Carlisle fortunately missed, before the visitors had what appeared to be a legitimate try ruled held up.

It was therefore no surprise when Carlisle finally succeeded with another penalty, putting Dumfries up 13-11 with a minute to play.

That could have been the match, but Irvine had other ideas and their pressure on the deep kick-off paid off with Ormsby’s try.

There was still time for Dumfries to find a response, but the home side held out to ensure they had to settle for a point.

Irvine now have a week off before travelling to Hawick YM on Valentine’s Day.

IRVINE: C Hobson; J Carson, N McMillan, L Ormsby, C Lang; B Jardine, K Hobson; C Mackie, M Kirk (capt), B Auld, A Maxwell, T McHarg, A Lang, V Meredith, R Filander. Reps: T Turner, A Nugent, G McGibbon, S Cook.

DUMFRIES: B Johnston; M Hayman, J Carlisle, S Hiddlestone, E Laverty; J Kerr, J Johnston; C Taylor, E Mack, A Prentice, L Scott, J Graham, C Goldie (capt), R Cruickshank, P Coupar. Reps: S Goodwin, A Taylor, R Mawdesley, M Yates.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Kris Hobson (Irvine) REFEREE: David Harvey MASCOT: Robbie Hale.