Premier B: Stirling make sure of place in top tier next term

Stirling County ensured their participation in top-flight rugby again next season with a first-half demolition of visitors Peebles.

The Bridgehaugh faithful cheered their team to the rafters as they shredded a Peebles side that struggled to compete in any of the key areas during the opening 40 minutes. But the County performance was short of clinical, with casual errors in defence compounded by an ineffectual second period.

Stirling's domination was apparent from the start, and pressure from the kick-off was rewarded with a penalty after four minutes from the boot of Jonny Hope. The diminutive stand-off added another five minutes later, and continued an impressive kicking display as he converted three tries, two from blindside flanker Tim Clarke and the other by full-back Ben Addison, for a commanding 27-5 half-time lead.

The Peebles score came from wing Neil Hogarth after sloppy work by the home defence, but their cause was hardly helped by the sin-binning of loose forward Shannon Temita for a cynical bodycheck on Benji Bersanti.

Peebles rallied after the interval and finally managed to exert pressure on a tattered-looking home defence. Their endeavour and consequent improvement earned just reward after 61 minutes when captain Drew Moore dived over. Sadly for Peebles, it was too little, too late: they will remain in the second tier next term.

Stirling guaranteed a bonus point with a late touchdown by No.8 Bersanti and replacement hooker Andy Simpson iced the cake for County with an unconverted try at the death.

Stirling must now wait to see if they return to the highest level as champions - and who will join them - their final game being away to Gala on 2 April. The Premier B promotion battle remains intriguing, though, with Edinburgh Accies, Watsonians, Gala and Aberdeen all still in the mix.

The favourites are certainly Accies, who earned a precious bonus point as they edged out city rivals Watsonians 22-6, and Gala, who maintained their challenge with a fine win away to their great Borders rivals, Selkirk, 14-22.

But hope remains for Aberdeen, who also made sure of a bonus as they crushed doomed West of Scotland, running out 39-10 victors at Burnbrae. Aberdeen have still to play Accies (at Raeburn Place) and Watsonians (at Rubislaw). Those games will decide who joins County in Premiership One next season.