Cup shock as County defence halts Hawks

Published on Saturday 6 February 2010 20:11

PREMIER 2 leaders Stirling County produced a shock in the Scottish Hydro Premier Cup first round when they knocked Premier 1 Glasgow Hawks at Bridgehaugh, winning 9-0.

On a surprisingly good pitch defences ruled in a closely contested match where Stirling just edged things up-front.

West of Scotland of P1 and Jed-Forest from P2 were drawing 0-0 at the pause at Riverside Park. However, the fitness of the visitors told in the end with the Milngavie side pulling away for a 14-3 win.

P1 Stewart's/Melville, struggling at the bottom of their league table, put high-flying leaders of P3 Hillhead-Jordanhill in their place with a 44-11 win at Inverleith.

On their own ground, P1 Selkirk had to struggle before they slipped past P2 GHA by 17-13. It was only in the last ten minutes that Selkirk secured the win in an exciting contest thanks to tries from Martin Murray and Jason Hendrie.

The Edinburgh and P1 derby was easily won by cup holders Heriot's who sauntered past Watsonians by 40-0 at Myreside. The visitors were already 21-0 ahead by the interval thanks to tries from Wullie Blacklock, Jamie Syme and Chris Fusaro with Grahan Wilson converting the lot.

Premier 3 Howe of Fife repeated their giant-killing exploits of last year – this time dumping Premier 2 Kelso by 17-16. The Howe backs were particularly sharp, with Girvan Imrie, Matt Keeble and Andrew McLean crossing for tries.

Falkirk, too, ousted higher ranked opposition in a dour struggle at Haddington. In a game of five penalties, the visitors were never behind. David Adamson and Nick Bell traded kicks for 6-6 at half-time, with Adamson adding one more for 6-9 after the break to edge it for the Premier 3 men.

P3 Hamilton stung their top division hosts with an early try by Andy Stephen and a Owen McLeish conversion, but fitness told for Edinburgh Accies, and tries from Stuart Moffat and David Rattray took the Raeburn Place men through by 32-17.

Any hopes of a surprise result for Garnock disappeared after seven minutes when bustling centre Ross Lemon barrelled over Dundee, and it was one-way traffic thereafter, with High School running out comfortable 36-0 winners.