Aberdeenshire kept their promotion hopes alive in National 2 with what coach Alex Duncan hailed as a character win against Biggar in the Borders on Saturday.
A stirring fightback helped Shire start 2017 on a winning note, much to the delight of Duncan.
He said: “We trailed 17-3 after only 20 minutes but hit back with an encouraging display of resilience and even at the end held off a determined fightback.
“It was a great collective team effort and once again Greig Ryan proved to be a first-class leader.
“His tackle to save the game in the last minute was typical of him but there were other heroes, including our front five who stuck to the task.”
Matters had looked ominous after Biggar had raced into a 14-point lead, stemmed only by a lone penalty from Shire Carne Green to trail 17-3.
The visitors were facing a drubbing and the prospect of losing ground on the leaders in the division.
But captain Ryan steadied his charges, nursing them through to the half-time break without conceding another point before easing themselves into the game with four tries of their own, attributed to wingers Mike Mac-Lugash and Michael Mc-Keand, centre Paul Paxton and Green, who also added three conversions to his considerable points tally.
In reply the home side managed a converted try but had some near things as it desperately sought to reduce the five-point deficit but, thanks to the inspirational Ryan, was unable to get the better of the Woodside defence.
The try bonus victory keeps the Aberdeen side in fifth place with eight games to play.