PROFLIGATE Marress paid the price for not taking their chances as they fell to a costly defeat at Dalziel.

Half-back Grant McGibbon dominated the scoring for the visitors with a personal haul of two tries, but unfortunately it was the team’s inability to convert line breaks into points that were to prove decisive.

To make matters worse, the last of the hosts’ tries – scored in injury time – secured a bonus point and ensured the visitors returned to Irvine empty-handed.

It was a lively contest from the start, and an early try for Dalziel from prop George Sloan, converted by full back Darren Moon, was promptly cancelled out when Stuart Nunan broke clear and fed McGibbon, who crossed under the posts for his first try, which he was unable to convert.

The game was then largely confined to midfield until the home side extended their lead midway through the half.

They forced a penalty on a strong drive upfield, and from the resulting lineout Sloan’s fellow prop Darren Hay was sent through to score under the posts. Moon’s conversion took the score to 14-5.

There was no further scoring in the first half, although there were chances at both ends.

McGibbon broke clear either side of the half hour, only for a lack of support to end the pressure on both occasions, while Dalziel winger Stevie Rowe could have struck at the other end only for full back Craig Hobson to beat him to his kick ahead and mark the ball.

The visitors enjoyed the early momentum in the second half, and after Scott Cook and John Murdoch had served due notice of what was to come, McGibbon raced clear for his second try of the afternoon. Craig Williams then converted to leave Dalziel trailing by just two points.

The gap was immediately back to five, however, when the visitors infringed at the kick-off reception and Moon kicked the goal to put Dalziel 17-12 in front with 25 minutes to go.

The visitors were still very much in the ascendancy and after Murdoch had again gone close just past the hour mark, substitute Liam Matthews scored in the left corner to level the scores. Williams then converted to put Marress in front for the first time in the match.

McGibbon had another two good line breaks which came to nothing as the visitors sought to put the game to bed, but they were to pay for their profligacy with six minutes to go when the hosts drove dangerously upfield and Rowe crowned the possession with the hosts’ third try of the afternoon, which Moon was unable to convert.

This scarcely mattered however, as the more Marress chased the game in the closing stages the more it ran away from them.

And the bonus point try duly arrived at the death when the Dalziel pack drove over the line, with Sloan claiming his second.

The result means Dalziel draw level on points with Marress, who remain fourth in the league on points difference.

Marress are next due to entertain second from bottom Hillhead/Jordanhill, while Irvine host Kilmarnock in the rescheduled West Regional Shield final.