Peebles 0

Edinburgh Accies 30

Allan Beveridge at The Gytes

PEEBLES crashed out of the BT Cup on Saturday.

But the scoreline doesn't reflect the type of tie served up at The Gytes.

Peebles were only 10-points down at half time thanks to a penalty, a try and a conversion by the city team.

And they still looked very much in it as the teams came out for the second half.

Throughout that first 40 minutes Peebles gave as good as they got against a promotion-chasing team at the top of National Division 1.

On several occasions it was only stout defence by Accies that kept their line in tact.

Peebles supporters were of the opinion that Accies should have been reduced to 14 men early in the first half when a deliberate knock on possibly prevented Peebles going ahead.

But the referee only gave a penalty which Accies cleared from the subsequent lineout in their 22.

On the half hour mark Peebles won a lineout 10 metres out from the city line.

Calum Lekey took a clean catch and Peebles put on a drive and the maul collapsed about four metres from the line.

From the resultant scrum Peebles were penalised when the touch judge intervened for the front row pulling the scrum down.

Accies went in 10 points up through a try, conversion and penalty.

In the middle part of the second period the city men, who were big and athletic, more or less took charge of the game and scored another 20 points with some good running and support play but both backs and forwards.

This was a good game for Peebles, despite the score.

They were up against slick opposition, good handlers and good runners with ball in hand.

Peebles, with a few changes to the usual line up, did give a good account of themselves and as previously stated that could have got on the scoreboard on several occasions.

The one good thing to come out of this Cup game was that the home team finished with only one injury doubt for the next league game against Preston Lodge.