County cupclash willbea cracker

Stirling County’s under 18s face a tough test in the defence of their National Youth League Cup after they were drawn in the quarterfinal against last season’s runners-up Ayr/Wellington.

County will have home advantage on Saturday, January 11, in a repeat of last season’s final at Murrayfield which resulted in a win for Stirling.

Last Saturday they won 50-19 away to Melrose Wasps in the preliminary round of the competition in a display of ruthless efficiency, running in eight tries – two from wing Harry Wilson and one each from No 8 Ranald Maxwell, wing James Isgrove, secondrow Euan Cairns, front-rows Callum Hunter and Kevin Crainey, and full-back Cameron Blance. Five of County’s tries were converted by scrum-half Fraser Craig.

“That was our best performance of the season,” said County’s Academy manager Stewart Milne.

“Definitely still things to improve and we’ll need to build again for the quarter but a good day against a well drilled and dangerous Melrose side. The slightly one sided scoreline is testament to some brilliant last five defence on our part and being particularly clinical in the opposition 22.

“It will be a tough game against Ayr in the quarters but we’re looking forward to it.”

In the National Youth League Under-16 Cup draw quarter-finals to be played on Sunday, January 12, County will visit the winners of Hawick Youth and Perthshire.

County’s final matches of 2019 are tomorrow (Saturday) when the Super6 squad head to Heriots Rugby in the FOSROC League in a rescheduled match postponed on November 30.

Stirling Wolves, who play in Tennent’s National League Division 1, are at home to Watsonians hoping to improve on last Saturday’s scoreline when they went down 26-0 at Heriots Blues. After a scoreless first half, the Goldenacre side ran in four tries and three conversions.