Faith in Hope for Charity win
Skipper kicks winning penalty to beat Melrose
Melrose .............. 26 Stirling County ...28 Stirling County skipper Jonny Hope was the last-minute hero for his side when he kicked a penalty to give the Bridgehaugh a surprise - but merited - win over last season’s double winners Melrose in this pre-season BT Charity Shield match at The Greenyards.
Having seen a commanding halftime lead eroded by a fierce Melrose fightback, County had slipped behind four minutes from full-time, but when Melrose were penalised for a dangerous tackle on Hamilton Burr, Hope stepped up to edge his side back in front.
The question was whether the tackle on Burr constituted a “spear tackle”. Burr was lifted past horizontal, but the Melrose players, realising the risk, looked to have made a clear effort to put him back down safely.
The decision caused bewilderment among Melrose officials, but Rob Chrystie, their coach had no complaint about the overall outcome, admitting that County deserved to win.
His Stirling counterpart Peter Jericevich wasn’t minded to disagree, saying: “When you put a lot of work in, it instils confidence, and there’s a lot of that in this group. We approached the game with no fear. We’re on a better place than where we finished last season.”
Having lost 45-12 to league champions Melrose in last season’s BT Cup final to “earn” their place in the Charity Shield, County had vengeance in mind as they tore into their tormentors like men possessed. You could measure their determination by the fact they lost two players to the sinbin for their over-vigorous approach midway through the first half, but they shook off the setback, conceded no points while short-handed, and powered back with tries by Jericevich and new boy Ally Mackie to hold a 20-7 lead at the interval.
When Charlie Dineen slipped over in the left corner to add another five points to County’s tally five minutes after the break, Melrose truly had a mountain to climb.
And given that the Charity Shield is, essentially, a pre-season friendly, you would have forgiven them for abandoning any thoughts of reaching the summit at that point. To their enormous credit, though, the double champions refused to give in, and a smart try by Murdo McAndrew renewed hopes of a home win.
Earlier, County had got things underway with a Hope penalty after nine minutes. They probably deserved their lead at that point, but Melrose responded by cranking up the intensity and dominated the next 15 minutes. It was during that time that Melrose claimed their first try through Patrick Anderson and County’s Craig Robertson and Alasdair Mackie were sent to the sin-bin, but the visitors coped wonderfully, taking what looked like a decisive lead with tries by Jericevich and No 8 Ally Mackie.
Two tries by Fraser Thomson changed the complexion of the game entirely and when Craig Jackson converted the second of them, Melrose held a one-point lead with just a few minutes left. They looked home and dry, but County, not for the first time, had other ideas, and Hope stepped up to give them their victory and the first silverware of the season.
Stirling County kick off their Tennents Premiership season on Saturday when they visit Watsonians.
MELROSE: F Thomson; G Wood, P Anderson, T Klein, L Mvelase-Julyan; C Jackson, M McAndrew; G Shiells, R Ferguson, R McLeod, A Welsh, A Runciman, R Knott, R Darge, G Runciman. Subs used: C Crookshank, C Wilde, D Colvine, B McLean, S Hutchinson.
STIRLING COUNTY: J Hope; M Lamb, C Robertson, G Hughes, C Dineen; A Goudie, P Jericevich; R Chies, R Kennedy, M Walker, S Yarrow, H Burr, S McDonald, A Mackie. Subs used: G Holborn, C Henderson, G Arnott, B Gilchrist.