County can’t wait to get underway
Stirling County will play their first match of 2018 and their first since December 9 when Ayr visit Bridgehaugh on Saturday.
County have been idle for the past five weeks and they face a resurgent Millbrae outfit who ended Melrose’s 100 per cent record in a 20-12 victory at The Greenyards.
As if that wasn’t enough, County then have to play the BT Premiership’s current top two – leaders Melrose (away) on January 20 then second-placed Currie Chieftains (home) on January 27 before they meet bottom team Boroughmuir at Meggetland on February 3.
Edinburgh Accies are the visitors to Stirling in the BT Cup quarterfinals on February 10 before they take on Glasgow Hawks on February 17 and end the league season at Marr on March 3.
While the play-offs are still mathematically possible, County’s main aim will be to prevent themselves from being dragged into a relegation battle. Form team Hawick have won three in a row – all with bonus points – to haul themselves from the foot of the table and it looks like Marr and Boroughmuir are the two teams who will be fighting it out until the end of the season.
And crucially, County still have to meet both of them.
Elsewhere, Stirling County 3rds were back in action in a BT Caledonia League Division Two Midlands match at Kinross with the hosts winning 37-21. Bannockburn lost 66-3 at home to Crieff and Strathearn in Division Three Midlands.
On Saturday, Stirling 3rds visit Hillfoots in a league match while Bannockburn go to Grangemouth 2nds.