County gave rivals too much easy ball
Stirling’s fall to Watsonian is first Premiership loss
Watsonians ....... 38 Stirling County .. 26 Stirling County suffered their first loss of their BT Premiership campaign away to Watsonians at the weekend.
They couldn’t build on an impressive victory over Hawick at Bridgehaugh last week, falling to a 38-26 loss despite starting the match well.
In two minutes, a pass by hosts stand-off Ewan Fox was intercepted by County centre Ross Curle who ran in for a try from 50-metres before full-back Jonny Hope converted.
Shortly afterwards, County showed their strength in the scrum to work their way into Watsonians’ 22, only to lose momentum when numbereight Euan Dods won an important turnover.
A moment of magic from Jamie Farndale followed.
The Scotland Sevens player has not played a lot of fifteena-side during his adult career but looked sharp here, fielding a kick in his own half and then weaving his way through the defence for a try from 60 metres.
Full-back Andrew Chalmers converted and it was 7-7.
That gave the home side confidence and four minutes later a second try followed from back-row James Miller on his debut with Chalmers converting again.
County managed to get back on the front-foot however and in 30-minutes they won a lineout in a good attacking position, and looked like scoring from it, but when the ball went wide Curle was held up in the tackle and Watsonians won a penalty.
The visitors were getting close to a second try and in 34-minutes they were held up over the try-line again.
County eventually got their rewards when referee Kevin White awarded a penalty try after a series of devastating scrums.
The scores were level again and Watsonians reacted by bringing on loosehead prop Nick Fraser for Finn Hobbis.
Just before the break Watsonians bagged their third try – skipper Craig Borthwick barging over and Chalmers converting to make the scores 21-14 with 40-minutes remaining.
However, County responded again when experienced prop Grant Holborn went over for their third try – and Hope’s conversion tied things up once more.
Rory Hutton had a good run for Watsonians on the hour mark and when his pass was blocked by an offside Matt Lamb the County winger was yellow carded. Chalmers kicked the resultant penalty and the home side were back in front.
With 10-minutes remaining Watsonians scored the bonus point try through former Hawick man Hutton and Farndale bagged his second in 75 minutes. Both were converted by Chalmers.
That made it 38-21 before Ruairidh Leishman got County’s bonus point with a fourth try at the death.
The defeat represented County’s first loss of the season and although they picked up a late four-try bonus point, player-coach Peter Jericevich knows they can and must play better.
He said: “We gave Watsonians too much easy ball and when we had it we simply did not use it well enough.
“To lose a try just before half-time hurt us but we should have been better in a number of aspects. Credit to Watsonians on the win.”
Stirling County will be looking to get back to winning ways when they take on Boroughmuir at Bridgehaugh on Saturday. Kick-off at 3pm.
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