Jed produce strong display to defeat battling Peebles
JED-FOREST ......................... 32 PEEBLES ............................... 15
PEEBLES were unable to make a first-half lead count in the Border League as Jed-Forest registered their first win of the season.
Despite the scoreline, this was a good display from the Pees on a cold but dry night at Jedburgh last Friday evening.
After 25 minutes Peebles were 10 to the good after Jack Harrison kicked an early penalty and Rohan Anderson scored a try from a drive from a Peebles lineout. Harrison added the conversion.
The home team were very dangerous with ball in hand and Peebles High School PE teacher Robbie Shirra-Gibb showed his speed and agility on more than one occasion.
Once again in that first half, it was Peebles’ tackling that kept them in the game until just before the half-hour mark when Jed won a penalty about 10m out from the Peebles line. A quick tap-and-go by the hosts’ No.9 caught the visitors off guard but they managed to stop the scrum half just short of the line. However, from the ruck the home team forwards crossed the line for a converted try to make it 7-10.
Early in the second period Cameron Boak, on the left wing for Peebles, was just brought to ground by the full back on the Jed 22 as he outpaced his opposite number up the stand side of the ground.
Immediately thereafter the home team were on the attack. Jed won a scrum in their own 22 and decided to run the ball out to Shirra-Gibb on the left wing. He made good ground up the wing before chipping the ball into the Peebles 22 where a favourable bounce saw him regain the ball and he crossed the line for a good try. The conversion from wide out hit one upright then the other before crossing for another two points.
Jed made it 19-10 shortly after when they drove a lineout in the Peebles 22. Again, the conversion was successful.
This was followed very quickly by a penalty for the home team, kicked from in front of the posts.
Peebles reduced the deficit midway through the second period when, after a couple of good drives, firstly from young Rhu Smith and then from the not-so-young Neil Hogarth, play was right on the Jed line and Hamish Bell picked up from the base of a ruck to drive over for the try. The conversion attempt was put wide.
A couple of tries late in the game sealed the result in favour of the home team but this was a good outing for Peebles in the Border League as we approach the end of what has been a very successful 15-a-side season.