Stirling County 23 - 22 Melrose: Too little, too late for ‘Rose as Stirling earn narrow win

TABLE-topping Melrose may have started as hot favourites but they found themselves convincingly outplayed by their hosts in the first half.

That dominant period by County saw them turn at the interval 18-3 in front but the advantage could have been considerably more had Brian Archibald found greater accuracy with his kicking, though a swirling, blustery breeze had a part to play in his three misses.

County’s victory was built in that first period, as they took an early lead with a brace of penalties by Archibald, then began to pull away when Garry Mountford barged over after a sustained period of pressure by the pack.

Melrose were seldom in the Stirling half, and it took until four minutes before the break for them to register their first scoring opportunity, Andrew Skeen chipping over a simple goal. It was County, however, who resumed control, Stuart Edwards intercepting a slack pass to break from his own half for a try under the posts which Archibald converted.

Melrose looked livelier with the wind at their backs after the break and improved considerably but it was Stirling who drew first blood again, the forwards overpowering the Borderers and Alex Moffat driving over. Stirling squandered a fine opportunity when Ben Addison intercepted a pass and ran almost the length of the field before hacking ahead only to see the ball go dead.

Melrose raised their game and fought back well, Simon Webster capitalising on a defensive lapse for an easy try that Skeen converted. The resurgence had County nerves fraying in the closing stages as Melrose threw everything at the home side, a late try for Fraser Thomson bringing them tantalisingly close but the missed conversion proved costly.