Accies hover in the danger zone after Stirling loss

Published on Monday 1 December 2008 09:07

EDINBURGH Accies find themselves back on the brink of a relegation battle in Division One of the Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership after going down 31-13 to a resurgent Stirling County at Bridgehaugh.

It was a second successive Capital scalp for Stirling, who had beaten Watsonians the previous weekend, and the result means that Accies are hovering fourth from bottom with a hazardous trip to face in-form Currie next on the agenda.

Accies were still very much in the contest at the break, turning round 14-13 in arrears. The points came from a James Turner try, converted by Mike Campbell, who also slotted two penalties.

However, the youthful capital side had no answer when the hosts turned up the heat in the second period and ran in three more tries to claim a four try bonus point that has moved them out of the bottom slot.

Accies coach Ian Barnes is in little doubt that his players are fit enough to escape the lower reaches of the league table, saying, "We have worked hard in the last month or so. It's as hard as I've worked any rugby team."

However, having seen his men rely on a desperate scramble to survive last season, he wants his side to secure enough points to avoid a last-minute dogfight this time around.

Meanwhile, it was a poignant day at Inverleith where Stewart's Melville hosted Gala on Division Two duty. The hosts were led onto the field by Murray and Ellie, the children of the late Grant MacKenzie, a former player and coach of the Capital side, who also had a spell playing for the Borderers before joining StewMel.

The home side turned on the style in memory of MacKenzie, who passed away in May, taking all five league points from a 27-7 win that moves them into second place in the league table, albeit having played a game more than third placed Jedforest.

Stephen Dalgleish bagged the first of the home side's five tries and he was joined on the score sheet by Jed Gordon, Blair Tweedie and Stuart Clark, who touched down twice, while Stuart Ker converted the first of Clark's brace.

Elsewhere in Division Two, Haddington's trip to face league leaders Dundee High and Musselburgh's match at home to Aberdeen Grammar were both victims of the weather, a fate that also befell Livingston's home encounter with Ardrossan Accies in Division Three.