BT Premiership

Boroughmuir ................................ 26

Stirling County ............................. 31

Kevin Robertson reports

from Meggatland

Stirling County won their second successive away match with an impressive four-try victory at Boroughmuir, ensuring that the Bridgehaugh team have picked-up ten Premiership league points on their travels over the past fortnight.

County made changes from the side that won at Gala the previous week. Scotland cap Chris Fusaro, allocated professional from Glasgow Warriors, made his debut for County at No.7 in an altered forward pack, with Cammy Fenton starting at hooker in the absence of Reyner Kennedy. In the backs, Matt Lamb returned to the right wing, and scrum-half Patrick Nicol took over from the unavailable Alex Black. Douglas Westwood and Matt Donaldson were called up to the bench.

Boroughmuir kicked-off in ideal condition at Meggatland, and took an early nine-point lead through three successful penalties by stand-off Dougie Steele; the first after 2 minutes, when County failed to move away after the tackle. County then kicked the re-start out on the full, and were penalised for infringing in the resultant scrum and Steele notched his second penalty from half-way. On 13 minutes County were caught off-side in their own 22, gifting Steele a straightforward three-points from the resultant penalty kick at goal.

County responded and Shaun Treweek charged down a kick from the base of scrum just inside the Boroughmuir half, and the visiting stand-off re-gathered the ball to sprint under the posts for a try, which he converted, reducing the leeway to 9 – 7 after 16 minutes.

Unforced handling errors and inaccurate field-kicking were letting County down, although over-lapping full-back Dylan Taikato-Simpson was unfortunate to put a foot in touch just before touching down in the right corner.

Boroughmuir scored their first try on 31 minutes, moving the ball from a penalty line-out just inside the County half, from right to left for their professional winger Oliver Katoa, who split the visiting defence before off-loading to Jordan Edmunds who touched down close to the upright. The conversion was missed, making the score 14 – 7 in the hosts’ favour.

Four minutes later, the home-side extended their lead through a try by inside-centre Greg Cannie, after a succession of attacking phases; Steele converted giving Boroughmuir a 21 – 7 lead.

Trailing by 14 points, County went on the offensive, and Boroughmuir twice collapsed driving mauls close to their try-line, before County’s Fusaro touched down in the right-corner following their third penalty-line-out catch and drive. Treweek added the two-points from a successful conversion from out-wide, bringing the Bridgehaugh team back into the match at 14 – 21, with 38 minutes on the clock.

Just before the break, County winger Danny Gilmour caught the re-start kick deep in his own half and ran 40 metres catching the Boroughmuir defence offside. Treweek successfully goaled his 45-metre penalty kick.

Half-time: Boroughmuir 21 - Stirling County 17.

Neither side made changes at the interval, and County upped the tempo of their play from the re-start, attacking down both flanks, but the home defense stood firm.

County’s Ed Howgate replaced Ruaridh Leishman in the second row, just before County took the lead for the first time in the match, when ball was moved from the back of a scrum on half-way to Gilmour, who powerfully sprinted unchallenged through the middle of the Boroughmuir defence to score a try to the left of the posts, converted by Treweek, putting the visitors 21 – 24 in front after 51 minutes.

County’s Shaun McDonald replaced Gilmour on the left-wing and prop Mark Hunter came on for Garry Mountford in the front row.

Three minutes later, County’s outside-centre Nick Grigg picked up the ball in mid-field and ran 40-metres before off-loading to the supporting Taikato-Simpson, who drew the last defenders before giving McDonald a scoring pass for the replacement winger to score the visitors’ bonus-point try in the right-corner with his first touch of the ball. Treweek maintained his 100% goal kicking with a successful conversion from the right touch-line, to extend County’s lead to 21 – 31.

County’s young scrum-half Matt Donaldson replaced Nicol, as the visitors withstood a spell of Boroughmuir pressure, before securing a penalty-line-out ten metres from the hosts’ try-line, from which the forwards drove over, but the ball was deemed to be held-up. From the resultant 5-metre scrum, County were awarded a penalty just left of the posts, but elected to run the ball, only to lose possession. Not taking these straight-forward three points on offer led to a tense finish, as Boroughmuir’s Steele scored an unconverted try in the left-corner to bring the home-side to within five points of the visitors, with five minutes remaining.

County took the play to their opponents in the closing minutes, and were awarded a penalty within Boroughmuir's 22, after the home tackler failed to release, but the reliable Treweek’s kick hit the left upright, allowing the Meggatland side to re-gain possession and mount a final frantic attack, which spread County’s defensive line. Nicol, who had just returned in place of flanker Fusaro, made a crucial try-saving tackle, putting the Boroughmuir winger into touch 2 metres from the try-line, to ensure County left Edinburgh with maximum points from an enthralling match.

Final score: Boroughmuir 26 - Stirling County 31.