County pay a heavy price for indiscipline
Stirling left to rue major effort to get the match on
Tennent’s National League Division 1
DUNDEE ...................................... 37 STIRLING COUNTY .................... 15
It was a busy morning for the Dundee and County management teams. The weather had taken hold overnight and the pitch at Mayfield had been deemed unplayable.
A series of options were discussed and it was agreed that KO would be moved back by two hours, to 4.15pm, and the match would take place on the 4G all weather surface at Dundee’s Regional Performance Centre. Both squads agreed and the game went ahead.
As the match progressed, the Stirling management team began to regret the effort exerted to get the game on as it quickly became evident that County were having a bad day at the office.
Discipline was County’s primary hindrance, from kick off, with a penalty conceded in the first minute, allowing Dundee to kick for the corner.
This resulted in a strong Dundee maul and a series of pressured phases which sent Dundee over the line. The conversion was missed.
County bounced back well – with a fast-paced attacking play that allowed wing Ben Yarrow to link well and spot a gap. Yarrow was brought down just short of the line, but quick ruck speed allowed Gregor Smith to take the offload and cross the line. The try was converted by Gregor Smith to give County a two point lead.
County continued to apply the pressure, resulting in Dundee conceding a penalty for entering the ruck from the side. The successful penalty was kicked by Gregor Smith to increase County’s lead to 10-5.
County were under pressure for the remainder of the first half. Discipline curtailed any prospective County attack, allowing Dundee to tick for territory – keeping County camped in their own half.
This pressure and territory, coupled with weak County defence, gave Dundee opportunities – and they took them. Dundee crossed the line twice, converting once. Dundee pressure and scrambling County defence resulted in a Dundee penalty for County not releasing the player in the tackle – this was successfully converted as Dundee led 22-10 at the break.
Identical to the first half, County conceded a penalty from kick off and Dundee applied the pressure. Dundee scored a try within five minutes of the restart, but conversion was missed as Dundee led by 17.
County had a rare entry into Dundee’s half and a combination of fast ruck speed and good handling took them to within five metres of the Dundee line.
An offload from blindside to tighthead Cameron Murphy put him over the line. The conversion was missed by Gregor Smith as County trailed 27-15.
Unfortunately, County’s lack of discipline and poor defensive play continued to haunt them as the second half progressed. Relentless pressure from Dundee allowed them to rack up a further penalty and converted try as Stirling fell to a 37-15 defeat.