Northern success

Feb 25 2009 by Jean Pedder, Stirling Observer Wednesday

A HASTILY re-arranged league fixture took Stirling County RFC Under 18’s north to Aberdeen last Sunday to take on the local Aberdeen Grammar side. County won 24-7

With seven players involved with the Caledonia Under 18 side against Borders, three involved in a training camp with Caledonia Under 17’s and six unavailable through injury or holiday commitments, it was a threadbare squad that travelled.

The starting 15 saw a debut for Blair Gilchrist at hooker and Chris Cheung on the wing as the match opened under almost perfect conditions.

The opening period promised a tight match with both sets of forwards making errors and allowing the balance of the game to swing. It took a bit of opportunist play by County winger Craig Kinnear to intercept a pass in midfield and cross under the post. Captain for the day Mark Marchbank slotted the conversion to take the lead to seven.

County were guilty of switching off as immediately from the kick-off, a bouncing ball was snaffled by the Aberdeen forwards and from the resultant re-cycled ball, they drove over to score. The conversion took the score to seven all.

At half-time the match was evenly balanced and County took the opportunity to re-shuffle the backline, bringing Robbie Hogg, who was having a very effective influence on the County attack, to outside centre from full-back.

This had an immediate effect as the County back-line looked more potent as the ball was played wide.

With fifteen minutes remaining, County’s enterprise in attack was rewarded as wing-forward Grant Smith intruded from the backline to go over. Marchbank extending the lead to 14-7. This allowed County to field Stuart Harley for his debut start in the County Under 18 side.

Momentum was maintained and the match was effectively sealed with seven minutes remaining as Craig Kinnear grabbed his brace in completing a fine flowing move with the ball travelling along the back-line with pace and the score being finished in the corner.

The bonus point was also secured in the dying minutes as Craig Robertson, on at full-back and returning from illness, scored wide on the left after a quick ball release the County backs.

This was a very good 24-7 victory against a stuffy Aberdeen Grammar side who had perhaps sniffed an opportunity to sneak a rare win against what at first appeared to be a weaker County squad. All credit to the County boys who rose to the occasion and produced a fine win.

County will again be short of Caledonia players over the next two weeks, however, will continue to seek fixtures to broaden the experience of the wider squad.

STIRLING County’s 2nd XV demolished Glasgow Hawks with an 11-try emphatic 67-0 win at Bridgehaugh on Saturday to keep in contention to retain the 2nd XV league championship. Try scorers were Allan Robertson (4), Gregor Brodie (2), Jason Hill (2), Gordon McCrorie (2) and Harry Russell.