RBS Premiership Melrose.............................................9 Stirling County................................3 Despite going down by three penalties to one at league leaders Melrose, Stirling County gained a vital losing bonus-point in their fight to stay in the RBS Premiership, Kevin Robertson reports.

With no professional players allocated to either side, Graham Lindsay returned to the County starting line-up in the only change from the side that beat Hawick the previous week. On a heavy pitch with driving rain, County made a solid start, with Brian Archibald narrowly missing an early 30-metre penalty opportunity in difficult under-foot conditions, after Garry Mountford stole a ball on the floor and Melrose failed to release in the tackle.

Melrose responded and after pushing County back in the scrum, the home side worked the ball through a succession of phases before catching the visitors’ defence off side under the posts. Joe Helps notched the close-range penalty-kick to put Melrose 3 – 0 ahead after 13 minutes.

Both sides kicked the ball back to each other, looking for a handling error in the atrocious conditions.

County’s left-winger Rory Hughes collected a loose ball and broke from half-way, before feeding the ball inside to the supporting Jamie Bhatti who barged into the opposition 22, catching the home defence offside. Archibald kicked the 20-metre penalty to draw the sides level at 3-3 after 27 minutes.

Half-time: Melrose 3 - Stirling County 3.

County had the better of the opening 15 minutes of the second half, but couldn’t breach the home defence on an increasingly heavy pitch. Matt Larson and Reyner Kennedy came on for Euan Dewar and Alex Moffat respectively. On 55 minutes County were reduced to 14 men when Archibald deliberately kicked the ball away in an offside position. Helps missed the resultant long-range penalty kick at goal, but the same player made no mistake three minutes later, landing a 35-metre penalty, after County were driven back and pushed-up in the scrum, giving Melrose a 6 - 3 lead.

Ben Addison and Stevie Swindall replaced Rory Hughes and Struan Robertson, before County went further behind after being penalised for handling in a retreating scrum; Helps kicked the 45-metre penalty to increase Melrose’s lead to 9 – 3 with 10 minutes remaining.

Kris Burney came on for Jamie Bhatti in the closing stages, and on 74 minutes Archibald pulled a 25-metre penalty kick wide of the posts, after Melrose pulled down a County line-out catch and drive. Neither side could create any real try scoring opportunities in the match, on the slippy surface, which resembled a mud bath at the end.

Final Score: Melrose 9 - Stirling County 3.

County’s Man of the Match, sponsored by John Graham Metals, was AJ McFarlane. . Scorers: Melrose – Pens.: Helps (3).

Stirling County – Pen. Archibald.

Melrose: Lockington, Dodds, Hutchison, Helps, Anderson, Mill, Colvine (captain); Little, Pearce, Holborn, Head, Dodds, Eccles, Runciman, Nagle. Replacements: Ferguson, Beavon, Knott, Skeen, Taylor.

Stirling County: Archibald, Lindsay, Gilmour, Lyle, Hughes, Edwards, McFarlane; Bhatti, Moffat, Mountford, Dewar, Deacons, Robertson, Bordill, Swanson. Replacements: Burney, Kennedy, Larsen, Swindall, Addison.  Referee: P. Allan County moved up to 7th position in the league, and now have four weeks before their next crucial RBS Premiership match on 1 March when title-chasing Gala are the visitors to Bridgehaugh. Before then County travel to play the Border’s side at Netherdale in the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup on Saturday 15 February - kick-off at 3pm. See Club website for full match preview.

Thanks to County’s main sponsor Ondeo Industrial Solutions and all others who continue to support the Club.

Rugby Round-up: County’s 2nd XV beat Edinburgh Accies 20 – 18 at Raeburn Place to stay in fifth place in RBS National Reserve League One. Ross Murray and Martin Hall each scored a try, with Jonny Hope converting both and adding two penalties. Next match for the Seconds is away to Heriot’s on Saturday 8 February, kick-off is 2pm.

In the National Youth Cup semi-final, County’s Under-16s narrowly lost 11 – 7 to Currie in a closely contested match at Malleny Park.

Members and supporters are reminded that the final pre-match hospitality lunch of the season is on Saturday 1 March before County’s last home RBS Premiership match against title-chasing Gala. To reserve your place please contact Alastair Cunningham or the Club Office on 01786-478866.

Stirling County’s annual fund-raising Sportsman’s Dinner is being held on Friday 28th February, hosted by TV personality Tam Cowan, with guest speakers Jimmy Nicholl and Jimmy Stirling – please contact Ally Logan to book your place.