Stirling County ... 13 Boroughmuir ... 56

BOROUGHMUIR did not really need a warm-down after this one-sided affair at Bridgehaugh.

They had hardly broken sweat throughout the entire 80

minutes.

Stirling, as ever, did not lack in spirit, they were just up against bigger and better guys. Although there was a fleeting suggestion of deja vu when County, trailing 37-3 just after the interval, then ran in two quick tries as they did at Meggetland in September, the fight-back this time did not come to anything more than that.

It all came down to playing staffs really. Stirling more or less have to permutate with the squad they have, while Boroughmuir were able to bring in some exciting new men from the Southern Hemisphere and they contributed enormously, even though it was their first league experience.

Calvin Howarth, a big centre from New Zealand, was immense in the centre and added kicking talents to a try which brought him a total of 21 points on the day. Angus Martyn, a Scot by parentage but playing in South Africa, oozed class at flank forward while the biggest of them all was Tim Henwood at No.8.

Christmas time or not, he could hardly be called Tiny Tim. He is six foot five inches and 19 stone of perpetual motion. He was an absolute colossus in an already hefty 'Muir pack.

Also making his league debut was another weighty newcomer, Euan McDonald, who was with Edinburgh Accies before going abroad for a spell.

County coach Paul McKeaney was almost at a loss for words. ''What can I say. I know now how the former Aberdeen football manager felt. I put out the players I have available and we just can't get a result. We had chances to score more but did not move the ball away from the forwards enough and test

Boroughmuir on the flanks.''

The Meggetland coach Iain Paxton accepted that his boys did not keep the pressure on despite scoring the points they did.

''We were really fit for this one. Three training sessions saw to that. But we are still not concentrating for the full 80 minutes. I am, however, pleased to see the young players are ready to learn from the likes of Henwood.

''They played off him very well and their confidence grew as the game went on. The bonus point we got from the try scoring gives us a bit more breathing space in the lower regions of the table.''

Stirling made interesting changes after the interval with centre Murray Fraser, already their most abrasive player, switching to scrum half in place of Alan Imrie, with Alan Stark coming on to the left wing and the back division having several positional adjustments. The arrival of David Jamieson in the front row was also judicious as shown by his double try contribution as well as stabilising the front row.

Stirling County - W Barr; J Leslie, M Fraser, D Dunsire, R Lewis; D Adamson, A Imrie (A Stark 40); C Reid (D Jamieson 40), A Neilson (J Garraway 23), S Cameron, R Hogg, C Hufferdine, G Broomfield, M Allan, C MacPhail.

Boroughmuir - M Clapperton; R Craig (G Kiddie 76), L Graham, C Howarth, A McLean; T Lightoller, A Knight (D Roberts 76); P Fitzgerald, D Cunningham, A Green (S Anderson 76), R Muir (D Mathieson 76), E McDonald, A Cadzow, A Martyn, T Henwood.

Referee - E Murray (Greenock Wanderers)

Scoring sequence (Stirling first) - 0-3, 0-10, 3-10, 3-15, 3-18, 3-23, 3-30 (half-time); 3-37, 8-37, 13-37, 13-44, 13-49, 13-56.

Scorers: Stirling: Tries - Jamieson (45, 51 min); Penalty - Adamson (11). Boroughmuir: Tries - McLean (8, 40); Howarth (19), Knight (35), Fitzgerald (42), Clapperton (56), Henwood (62), Graham (76); Conversions - Howarth (8, 40, 42, 56, 76); Penalties - Howarth (4, 29).