IRVINE were brought back to earth with a bump on Saturday by defeat to East Kilbride at Torrance House.

The visitors went into the match in confident mood following last week’s 64-7 drubbing of Dalziel, but were unable to build on that display against a much better drilled and more streetwise East Kilbride side, and were well beaten despite Ian Kerr, Kevin Lang and Alistair Maxwell adding tries to Lincoln Ormsby’s two penalties.

Irvine will now look to rediscover their form at home to second-bottom Murrayfield Wanderers before they visit league leaders Dumfries the following weekend.

Home fly-half Robbie Greenfield had already edged his team in front with a penalty before the hosts claimed the opening try after nine minutes. From a well-worked penalty lineout, prop Scott Aitken took a reverse pass from captain Gareth Jones before breezing through the resulting gap to touch down.

Greenfield added the conversion to take East Kilbride into double figures, and was soon lining up another which he was to miss on this occasion. It was Irvine who had looked like scoring at the other end though when Kerr followed up Ormsby’s kick, but the winger knocked on and the home side built the length of the field from the resulting scrum to send centre Callum Simpson racing over on the right.

Ormsby reduced the arrears to 15-3 with a penalty shortly afterwards, but East Kilbride continued to make the better running and it was no surprise when they extended their lead just before the half hour. This time the home forwards mauled into the Irvine 22 before bringing the backs in, and it fell to centre Ian Brown to do the honours.

Greenfield converted for a 22-3 lead, before Ormsby again reduced the deficit when the hosts were penalised at the kick-off reception.

Irvine came more into the game as half-time approached but they twice had gilt-edged try scoring opportunities foiled by timely interceptions from the East Kilbride defence, as well as Ormsby missing another penalty kick, any of which might have given them something to build on going into the second half.

Irvine needed a good start to the second half to stand any chance of getting back into the game, but it was the home side who scored next to secure the bonus point, winger Mark Ellison scampering over on the right after the East Kilbride forwards had turned over the ball in the Irvine half.

The visitors finally got a try on the board just before the hour when they worked the ball across the back line to Kerr, who duly touched down in the corner for his third try in two games. Ormsby was unable to add the tricky touchline conversion, leaving the score at 27-11 to the hosts.

Kerr was held up over the line five minutes later as he scented another try, before the visitors’ hopes received a further boost when home flanker Chris O’Neill was sent to the sin bin. Irvine wasted little time in capitalising on their numerical advantage with Kevin Lang crossing to the right of the posts for their second try on 70 minutes.

Again Ormsby missed the conversion to increase the pressure on the visitors, which finally told just before O’Neill’s return when substitute Tam Hughes scored on the right to put the result, if it was not already, beyond doubt.

There was still time for Maxwell to score in the corner on the last play of the game, but it was no more than a consolation.

There was better news for Marress, who put last week’s thumping at Hamilton behind them with a 40-12 victory at home to GHA Lions. Craig Williams scored a brace of tries to build on single scores by Stuart Nunan, Sandy Thomson, Paul Paterson and Alan Nugent, with Stuart Tracey notching five conversions. They now travel to Dalziel, who are yet to win in the league.

Irvine head coach Jim Barrie said afterwards: “It was a great chance missed for [us] to climb up the National Division 3 table. We scored three cracking tries, with plenty of try and penalty opportunities going a begging too. However some uncharacteristic comic strip defending and sloppiness in our general play behind our solid set piece, shipped an easy 21 points to East Kilbride.

“We must take [it] on the chin and get back on track at home to Murrayfield this Saturday.” IRVINE: K Matheson; I Kerr, K Lang, B Jardine, C Lang; L Ormsby, G McGibbon; C Mackie, M Kirk (capt), D Kirkwood, A Thomson, T McHarg, A Lang, V Meredith, A Maxwell. Replacements: E Callaghan, R Filander, N Murray, R McVey.

REFEREE – Ross Mabon,