Peebles edge out Berwick 11-10 to stay within reach of top end of rugby’s Tennent’s National League Division 2 table

Peebles captain Neil Hogarth on the ball during his side's 11-10 win against Berwick on Saturday (Pic: Stephen Mathison)

All three teams above them – table-toppers Glasgow Academicals, second-placed Newton Stewart and third-placed Falkirk – won too, however, so their 11-10 victory at the Gytes, taking their points tally to 47 from 15 games, with seven left to play, hasn’t seen them make up any ground.

Their league campaign is now going on hold for a couple of weeks but resumes on Saturday, February 18, away to Glasgow Accies, with kick-off at 2pm.

The Pees’ victory at the weekend, despite being reduced to 14 men by Robert Harrison’s sending-off, saw them do the double against the division’s Northumbrian newcomers, having beaten them 26-19 in the reverse fixture in October, and they’ll be hoping to do likewise at New Anniesland following their 36-14 win against the Glaswegians in the Borders later that same month.

Kenny Clyde scored Peebles’ only try on six minutes, with two Frey Maciver penalties accounting for the rest of their points.

Rory Hindhaugh got all of Berwick’s points, via a try, conversion and penalty.

Maciver was delighted to see his team edge out their visitors, telling Borders Rugby TV: “It was a bit of an arm-wrestle but we dug so deep in defence that we didn’t concede any points in the second half.

“The boys stuck in really well and we came out with the result, so we’re really chuffed with that.

“I don’t know if finishing top of the league is possible now, but we’ll keep looking for results and go into the sevens season strong and try not to get bullied like we did last season.”