Play endless match before scrap (6)
I believe the answer is:
gambit
'play' is the definition.
(gambit is a kind of play)
'endless match before scrap' is the wordplay.
'endless' means to remove the last letter.
'match' becomes 'game' (I've seen this before).
'before' says to put letters next to each other.
'scrap' becomes 'bit' ('bit' can be a synonym of 'scrap'**).
'game' with its final letter removed is 'gam'.
'gam'+'bit'='GAMBIT'
(Other definitions for gambit that I've seen before include "tricky move" , "Eg, minestrone" , "in school scrap" , "Sacrificial strategy in chess" , "Initial move found in bag, Tim" .)