Ardencaple was not for the faint hearted on Saturday as Uddingston and Helensburgh went toe to toe in what was being billed as the Division 2 relegation decider.

With only 2 points separating the sides at kick off it was all to play for. The opening 40 minutes were sluggish, and showed the nerves amongst both squads. Early penalties were traded - Cammy Quinn slotting over for the Villagers, but it was the half hour mark before the game saw any try action. With Helensburgh down to 14 players from a yellow card it was Ross McKeown who opened the Villagers try count. Quinn was off target with the conversion but Uddingston had an 8-3 lead which they held to the break.

If the first half had been slow, the second kick started. Two minutes in and Dom Crichton extended the Villagers' lead. The conversion again missed the target. Ten minutes later and it was Uddingston who again crossed the whitewash, Calum Anderson securing the score. Quinn was once more off target for the extras but the Villagers had notched up 15 unanswered points in as many minutes and were looking good for their 18-3 advantage. Then it all went wrong.....

With just over 20 minutes of the match remaining Helensburgh suddenly realised that staying in Division 2 might not be a bad idea and went on a full scale offensive, pounding the Uddingston defence until it cracked. Suddenly it was all Helensburgh and 3 unanswered tries in 20 minutes saw them turn an 18-3 deficit into a 24-18 lead.

With only minutes remaining, the Villagers were unable to get the all important 4th try to turn the game.

The Villagers' losing bonus point may still prove to be crucial as both sides now face their final 2 fixtures, with relegation still not fully resolved. Helensburgh have the benefit of 2 home fixtures to play - Dalziel the visitors on the 9th and Strathaven on the 23rd.

For the Villagers, it's 2 difficult away games that lie ahead, with trips to Oban on the 16th and Wigtownshire on the 23rd. As the table currently stands the Villagers have the better points difference, so any sort of bonus point could be enough, but that all depends on results at Ardencaple. A nervous few weeks lie ahead for both sides