A STRONG second half performance by Stirling County ensured a much-needed bonus-point victory over rivals Gala, in an exciting BT Premiership encounter in wet conditions at Bridgehaugh.

County’s starting XV was largely unchanged from the side that had narrowly lost at Currie the previous week, with Glasgow Warriors’ centre Fraser Lyle and scrum-half Nemia Kenatale continuing in the backs. In the forwards, Mike MacDonald returned to the front row and Struan Robertson made his first start of the season. Colin Hutton and Shaun McDonald were on the bench. Full-back Jonny Hope retained the on-field captaincy in the continuing injury absence of Callum Hunter-Hill.

Gala kicked-off with the wind at their backs, and had the majority of early possession and territory, keeping County pinned back in their own 22 for lengthy periods. After a succession of pick-and-goes around the fringe the visitors were awarded a penalty which stand-off Gregor Hunter chipped over from 35-yards to give Gala a three-point advantage with seven minutes played.

County responded immediately, and through their more powerful forwards won a penalty just inside their opponents’ half. Hope duly kicked to the left-hand corner, and County secured their 5-metre line-out with Alex Taylor collecting a long throw-in to the tail, before the agile No.8 turned and popped the ball to hooker Reyner Kennedy who dived over the line for the opening try. Hope converted from the touchline to put County ahead 7-3 after 12 minutes.

Gala’s Josh Irvine found himself heading off injured after inadvertently blocking a clearance kick from team-mate Hunter, which hit the Marroons’ back row player on the head. Alan Emond came on in his place and immediately played a key role in regaining the lead for the visitors, when he was fed the ball from a line-out ten-metres from the County try-line, and the replacement off-loaded the ball to veteran second-row Opeta Palepoi who powered over for a try, which Hunter converted to put the visitors back in front at 7 – 10, with 23 minutes on the clock.

Two minutes later, County’s dominant pack again pushed Gala off a scrum in mid-field and Hope goaled the resultant 25-metre penalty to level the scores at 10 – 10.

County put themselves under pressure from the re-start, with a laboured clearance kick charged down by the Gala attackers, forcing the home-side to scramble the ball to touch. Hope then put in a measured 50-metre field kick to touch to set up an attacking position for County close to the right-hand corner. Gala won their 5-metre line-out and cleared the ball to touch just outside their 22. From the resultant throw-in County attacked through the centre and were held-up just short of the Gala try-line under the posts.

Just before the break, County were reduced to 14 men when their Fijian scrum-half Kenatale was sent to the sin-bin after a high tackle on his opposite number. Gala made their numerical advantage pay, when County were penalised for not releasing after completing a tackle, and Hunter kicked the resulting 40-metre penalty to edge Gala ahead.

Half-time: Stirling County 10 – Gala 13.

County’s Colin Hutton replaced Mike MacDonald at prop, as the home-side raised their intensity from the re-start, launching a series of attacks which tested the visitors’ defence. Gala’s Emond was yellow-carded for a high tackle on County’s stand-off Ross Jones on 43 minutes, but County missed the subsequent 30-meter penalty kick at goal.

Hope then came close to scoring a try for County when he tried to finish off a cross-field passing move, but couldn’t keep hold of the ball under close-attention from his opposite number with the try-line beckoning.

County continued to press forward and after sustained pressure on the visitor’s try-line, the referee penalised Gala for being offside at the ruck. The returning Kenatale redeemed himself by instinctively taking a quick tap-penalty and diving over the line to put the home-side ahead 17-13 with half-an hour remaining.

County’s Matt Emisson came on for Kennedy at hooker, and Shaun McDonald replaced the hard-working Struan Robertson in the back-row.

Gala, even with a man in the bin, continued to keep the ball in hand, playing free-flowing rugby often from deep in their own half. The Borderers’ efforts were eventually rewarded on the hour-mark, when they worked their way into the County 22, before the ball was recycled to stand-off Hunter, who cleverly put in a cross-field kick to his No.8 Rob Louw, who ducked under a tackle before sliding over the try line in the right-hand corner to put Gala back in front at 17 – 18, with the conversion missed.

County hit back immediately, and following a strong running break by centre Lyle from inside his own-half, the ball was offloaded to the supporting Hope, and the full-back cleverly drew the defensive cover before floating a scoring-pass to Taylor, who touched down under the posts. Hope converted the try to regain the lead for County at 24-18 with 69 minutes played in this exciting see-saw encounter.

In the closing stages County blew an excellent try scoring opportunity after another quick break by Lyle down the right wing split the Gala defence, but winger Craig Pringle couldn’t hold the scoring offload when a try looked the most likely outcome.

County’s Ryan Elliston replaced Hope at full-back, as the home-side finished the match strongly, with their forwards again held-up over the try-line by the Gala rearguard. From the resultant 5-metre scrum, County pushed Gala backwards before the ball was moved inside to the on-rushing Lyle who ploughed over the try-line to secure a four-try bonus-point victory for the home-side. Jones converted the try, extending County’s lead to 31 – 18, with two minutes remaining.

Gala, to their credit continued to attack in the final minutes, but County’s well-marshalled defence held solid to wrap up a vital win for the Bridgehaugh team, who moved up to sixth position in the BT Premiership table.

With County’s Head Coach David Adamson absent due to his varsity commitments with Edinburgh University, it was his assistant coach Alan Blair who took over the reins and he was absolutely delighted with the victory, saying “I think it was important that we finished strongly today. Especially after last week’s defeat, it was a must that we finished well. We did that and to get that bonus-point at the end was great. The boys thoroughly deserved the win”.

Final score: Stirling County 31 – Gala 18.

Scorers: Stirling County – Tries: Kennedy, Kenatale, Taylor, Lyle. Conversions: Hope (3), Jones. Penalty: Hope.

Gala - Tries: Palepoi, Louw. Conversion: Hunter. Penalties: Hunter (2).

County’s Man of the Match, sponsored by John Graham Metals, was No. 8 Alex Taylor.

Stirling County: Jonny Hope (capt.), Craig Pringle, Jake Cresswell, Fraser Lyle, Bruce Sorbie, Ross Jones, Nemia Kenatale; Mike MacDonald, Reyner Kennedy, Adam Nicol, Hamilton Burr, Adam Sinclair, Ruaridh Leishman, Struan Robertson, Alex Taylor. Replacements: Matt Emmison, Colin Hutton, Shaun McDonald, Colin Turnbull, Ryan Ellison.

Gala: Graham Spiers (capt.), Paul Hendry, Lewis Berg, Rex Jeffrey, Craig Robertson, George Hunter, George Lott; Chris Keen, Matt Carryer, Gary Robertson, Chris Weir, Opeta Palepoi, Gary Adams, Josh Irvine, Rob Louw. Replacements: Curtis Reynolds, Dean Brooker, Alan Emond, Gregor Mein, Craig Dods.

Referee: Graeme Wells. .

County’s next BT Premiership match is away to second-placed Melrose on Saturday (1st October) - kick-off at The Greenyards is 3pm. See Club website for full match preview.

Thanks to match sponsor J&E Shepherd – Chartered Surveyors, County’s main sponsor United Auctions, and all others who continue to support the Club.

Rugby Round-up: County Seconds Continue Winning Run

Stirling County’s 2nd XV continued their 100% winning start to the season, thrashing Aberdeenshire 72 – 0 at Bridgehaugh to stay top of BT National Reserve League Division Two. County’s try scorers were Logan Trotter (4), Mark Hunter, Ross Campbell, Matt Lamb, Matt Donalson, Liam Brymer and Owen Jarvie. Trotter and Donaldson added conversions and penalties. Next Saturday (1st October) the Seconds are at home to Dundee Titans - kick-off at Bridgehaugh is 3pm.

County’s 3rd XV beat Hillfoots in a friendly match at Tillicoultry, after their league match at Fife Southern was postponed. Next Saturday (1st October) the table-topping Thirds entertain Bannockburn in BT Caledonia League Division 3 Midlands (South) – kick-off at Bridgehaugh is 3pm.

Also next weekend, October 1 and 2, County’s Academy youth age-grade teams (under-13 to under-18) play their counterparts from West of Scotland in Scottish Rugby’s President’s Conference.

Next Sunday, October 2, County’s Women travel to Stewartry in the BT Women’s Premier League – kick-off at Castle Douglas is 2pm. Also next Sunday, County’s Girls Under-18 and Under-15 teams travel to Ayr in the Club Youth Girls President’s Conference, starting at 11am.