HELENSBURGH Rugby Club are all but safe in the West District First Division after a thumping 52-7 win over Lenzie at Ardencaple on Saturday.

With two games to play the Grizzlies now can’t be caught by second-from-bottom Cambuslang and bottom side Garnock can only save themselves by winning all of their remaining three games, having won just three all season.

After losing to Lenzie 36 – 12 away in January, Helensburgh were desperate for a vital win to take them out of the relegation spot. The Grizzlies had prepared hard for this game kindly sponsored by Rayburn Hope and wanted to show Ian Ross’s new assistant coach Adam Hart what they could do.

With captain Johnny Drake leading the team, Burgh received Lenzie’s kick-off but straightaway they stole the ball back to put pressure on Helensburgh’s 22.

Stout defending from Burgh meant the visitors could not get over the gain line and a crunching tackle by centre Conner Slader got the ball back for stand-off Andy Ram to clear to Lenzie's 22.

With second row Kane Greiggan winning the line-out, a slick move by Ram back inside to centre Slader saw him skip over the line for the first try after five minutes. Full-back David Sterry's conversion made it 7-0.

With Lenzie missing a penalty received on the 22 from kick-off, winger Johnny Drake took the ball from the drop-out and a weaving run took him to the visitors' 22 where, from the following ruck, hooker Mark Ashdown put in an incredible pass to put stand-off Ram over for a try in the corner.

A fantastic conversion from Sterry took the score to 14-0 after 15 minutes.

Receiving the kick-off, vice-captain and flanker James Mussett smashed his way upfield supported by his pack and from the resulting penalty Sterry stretched Helensburgh's lead to 17-0 after 20 minutes.

Lenzie were still looking to push forward and again fantastic defence kept the visitors camped out on the five meter line only to be held up for the scrum. With a Lenzie chip being caught by Sterry for the mark, the ball was cleared to the half way line to the great relief of the large crowd and Helensburgh went in at half time looking very confident indeed.

Burgh kicked off the second half and immediately Lenzie were on the front foot, charging with their large pack towards the Grizzlies' try line. Again ferocious defence by the two second rows Greiggan and Inglis kept the ball held up over the line, but from the following scrum Burgh could do nothing to stop a great Lenzie charge for them to get a converted try taking the score to 17-7 after 48 minutes.

Burgh again pushed forward and could feel Lenzie beginning to buckle under the pressure. Great work from flanker Johnny Gibson put a fabulous wide pass out to Burgh’s new sensation, winger Michael Holland, who went over the line for a crowd-pleasing try. Again converted, it was 24-7 on the hour.

Now Burgh were showing their class in the backs and every time they got the ball looked dangerous.

Four more tries, including two from centre Slader, one from winger Holland and another by stand-off Ram took the final score to 52-7, giving the Grizzlies four points plus the bonus point to take them closer to the safety zone in the league.

This looked like the Helensburgh side of old, with every player contributing to the win

Silvers man of the match went to James Mussett, sponsored by Admin Systems, for his gruelling 80 minutes on the pitch.

This Saturday Helensburgh face Oban at Ardencaple (3pm), sponsored by Allied Surveyors, in another important league place decider.

Helensburgh: D Sterry, C Bowman, C Slader, S Simmons, J Drake, A Ram, C Harris, P Ard, M Ashdown, L Flannagan, A Inglis, F Voight, J Gibson, J Mussett, K Greiggan. Subs: J Feltham, S Raeside, A Malia, M Holland.