Ardrossan’s season has already been twice affected by Covid so this was their first home game and they had lost all three away games. They were propping up the table with just two points.

By contrast Lasswade were 5 from 5, just one point off the lead and travelled to Ardrossan with a near first choice squad.

The hosts kicked off in a light breeze blowing neutrally across the pitch and with some rain in the air.

Lasswade immediately set the tone of the match by working the ball into home half and then released their backs for Kyle Smith to break the line and create an overlap for Orsi to cover the last metres and to make the conversion a little easier for Matt Smith.

Ardrossan responded with some robust forward play and 3 minutes later their No 8, Cairns, finished off a catch and drive from ten metres out and Johnstone’s conversion just cleared the cross bar.

As it turned out Ardrossan were going to have to wait until the last minute of the game before adding to their score

The level score lasted just three minutes before Kyle Smith dummied his way to the line but very uncharacteristically, Matt Smith missed the conversion.

The hosts dug in for a while and the second quarter had started before Griffiths rounded the defence to claim the first of his three tries before half time. Smith converted only one of these but partly made up for that when he fielded a goal line drop out 35 metres out and coolly replied with 3 points from the hand.

The 7-32 half time score line suggested that the game was as good as over for Ardrossan and this was confirmed 2 minutes into the second half when Tiffney finished off a catch and driving maul. Ten minutes later Sinclair made the initial break and Gladstone’s close support paid off with another five points which Smith turned into seven.

There was still fifteen minutes on the clock when Orsi chased down his own chip through and added the conversion from the touchline and this proved to be the visitors’ final score.

To their credit Ardrossan kept going to the end and were rewarded with a consolation try By Noonan in the last play of the match.

Lasswade now sit top of the table but mainly because Covid at Perthshire RFC meant that their fixture with Hillhead/Jordanhill had to be postponed.

A top-of-the-table clash is scheduled for this weekend when Hillhead travel to Hawthornden. Expect a close and tense 80 minutes. Kick-off 3pm.