IRVINE paid the price for not taking their chances as Perthshire ground out victory at Marress.

The hosts came into the game hopeful of victory after battling to a draw in Perth in November, but found the visitors in determined mood in both attack and defence.

Irvine can take heart, however from the fact that they have come a long way from the last season they played Perthshire, when they conceded 83 points without reply over the two meetings between the sides as they slid toward relegation from what was then Premier Three.

Irvine travel to Dalziel on Friday night to play the game postponed from January 10 under lights.

Before kick-off a minute’s silence was observed for two stalwarts of the club who had recently passed away.

Bill Inglis was the club’s first president who played at full-back for its first competitive season, serving as last line of a defence which famously went four months without conceding a try, while Bill Crolley was best known for his service as a coach and as youth convener in a long association with the club.

Irvine failed to get out of the traps as Shire opened up a 10-0 lead inside as many minutes. A penalty by no.8 Duncan Clow followed in short order by a try for lock Rory Mackay, who forced his way over under the posts after his packmates had mauled up to the line.

The hosts had to dig in to avoid falling further behind, but they started to come up with more ball and after Kris Hobson missed a long-range penalty on the quarter-hour, Grant McGibbon finally got them on the board after a series of pick-and-drives from the forwards had tied in the defence.

Craig Lang thought he had squared the match in the corner after a neat passing move down the left initiated by Vaughn Meredith, only to be flagged in touch.

But the inevitable was only delayed and just after the half-hour Neil McMillan claimed Irvine’s second try of the afternoon after another good spell of pressure on the Shire line. Hobson converted to put the hosts in the lead for the first time after.

The lead changed hands almost immediately however, as the home defence were caught napping by a kick play by Shire fly-half Josh Henderson – who went on to win Man of the Match – and winger Matt Rae was given time to pick his spot at leisure.

Clow missed the conversion and the sides turned around with the match delicately poised at 15-12.

Irvine were back in front within two minutes of the restart, when Ruchin Filander embarked on one of his trademark runs and eluded the visiting defence to dot down under the posts, giving Hobson a routine conversion for a 19-15 lead.

The hosts were now one try away from the bonus point but were not allowed to settle by the visitors, who reduced the deficit to a single point when Clow goaled a penalty from just shy of the home 22.

The visitors returned the favour but Irvine were unable to punish them, with Alistair Maxwell and John Carson knocking on in similar positions as they went for the jugular. Shire then showed how it should be done as they claimed what turned out to be the winning try just after the hour.

Inevitably it was Henderson, who had bossed proceedings all afternoon with a fine display of tactical kicking, who did the honours to crown a fine attacking move. Clow’s conversion took the score to 25-19.

With both sides now in sight of the bonus point, an end-to-end finish to the match looked to be assured, but it was Irvine who created the better openings. But despite going close through Tom Turner they were unable to find a way through and Shire held on for victory.

IRVINE – K Matheson; J Carson, N McMillan, B Jardine, C Lang; G McGibbon, K Hobson; C Mackie, B Auld, E Callaghan, A Nugent, A Maxwell, A Lang, V Meredith, R Filander. Replacements: T McHarg, T Turner, L Ormsby.

REFEREE – Ronald Innes MAN OF THE MATCH – Josh Henderson (Perthshire) MASCOT – Daniel Christie MARRESS completed the double over their Kilmarnock counterparts with a fine 36-12 victory at Bellsland. Steven Paton scored a brace to take his tally for the season to eight, while Martin Sneddon, Martin McGonigal and Baris Nesvat also crossed for the visitors. Craig Williams scored a penalty and a conversion, with Stuart Tracey goaling three conversions of his own to round off the scoring.

They now have a week off before entertaining West of Scotland as part of a home double header on 7th March.

For the full story see this week's Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.