Stirling Co 28 - 42 Watsonians

BRUCE Aitchison, the new Watsonians coach, saw his charges rattle up four fourth-quarter tries to add to one before the break, and take a straightforward bonus point victory from the visit to Bridgehaugh.

The lineouts however produced a rich seam of good ball for the Myreside men, and it will concern Aitchison, and his assistant Donnie McFadyen, that it took so long to open up the floodgates.

Stirling looked much sharper in all but the lineout, until about the hour mark, when they almost visibly wilted and began to fall off tackles. At that stage it was 16-16, but tries by Jon Pelter, Geoff Nicholson, Ben Di Rollo, and Andy Fisher ensured the points were going to Edinburgh.

Jamie Blackwood had touched down before the break, and Andrew Ker had 17 points from four conversions, two penalties and a drop-goal.

Three Brian Archibald penalties and his conversion of Graham Lindsay's try had kept County in the hunt, and in a late fight back, Ross Aitken crossed twice with Archibald adding one conversion.