Peebles maintain unbeaten run

Published 3 Sep 2010 09:30 0 Comments

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Peebles 21 v 21 Falkirk

Saturday saw the first home game of the season for the Tweed Home sponsored Peebles team, who were looking to build on an encouraging win away at Kirkcaldy the previous week.

Falkirk travelled down to The Gytes on the back of a win against Stewarts Melvile in their Premier 2 opener and first impressions were that a physical game was in store for the 19 ex-Peebles High School educated Pee’s.

From the kick-off it was a back and forth physical battle, with notable big tackles from Warnock and Paton in the back row keeping the big Falkirk pack at bay.

Peebles started to try and force the expansive game and midway through the half it almost paid off with Martin Cruickshank going over in the corner...only to be thwarted by an excellent covering tackle by Falkirk’s outside centre.

The Peebles pressure continued and paid off when a penatly was awarded to which the ever reliable Neil Warnock stepped up and put the Gytes men 3-0 up.

A few more missed opportunities for both teams, from Falkirk’s livewire scrum-half and Peebles’ barraging Borthwick, could have given either team an advantage going into the break, but another Warnock penalty meant that Peebles looked good for the 6-0 half-time lead and were a good bet to build on it after the break with the wind at their tails.

Falkirk, however didn’t read the script for the second-half and when camped on their line defending, were gifted a break away try, which their flanker, Russell Latapy, duly accepted to get the try under the posts.

Peebles now had to work hard to salvage something from a game which looked comfy in the first-half, and Drew Moore, in charge of the forwards’ Sat Nav, got the pack into a position infront of the posts for Warnock to float the ball over for a crisp drop goal.

The game was evenly poised now and with some physical battles upfront led by Aitken and Clark, the game looked a tight affair.

This was until some loose defending on the Peebles blind side allowed Falkirk to waltz in for a score from half way, with the conversion added from a difficult angle, taking it to 14-9.

Peebles again found themselves on the back foot, chasing the game on their home patch.

Some good work from the Peebles centres and forwards saw the ball spun out to Alan Smellie, playing in his first league game of the season, and he went in “untouched” in the corner to make the game level at 14-14.

However, the game would take another twist with a carbon copy try for Falkirk to follow not long after, again after some loose defending.

The clock started running down on the Gytes men, who were looking to salvage something from the game, and a penalty was awarded with a few minutes remaining.

A kick into the corner and a pin point line out set up a good position to attack.

With smart picks from Paton, Brown and Clark, small yards were being made which McConnell made the most of, stretching to the line to score in the final minute, and with a pressure kick to follow, Peebles unbeaten start to the season was to continue with Warnock slotting the conversion to finish the game at 21-21.

Saturday’s next game at home to Kelso will be Peebles’ first Borders derby of the season and will prove to be a bruising contest.

With a 3pm kick-off, the Peebles team will be looking to continue their unbeaten start to the season in their new home strip in front of the vocal local following.

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 03 Sep 10

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