Peebles head coach Iain Chisholm scores tries at double for first victory of year

Peebles head coach Ian Chisholm scoring one of his two tries against Preston Lodge at the Gytes on Saturday (Pic: Stephen Mathison)

Chisholm’s touchdowns were accompanied by a conversion and a penalty from Donald Anderson to make the scoreline 15-0 to the Pees at home at the Gytes, making amends for their 32-5 defeat in the reverse fixture in East Lothian back in September.

That result sees the Borderers sitting fourth in rugby’s Tennent’s National League Division 2 after 13 games, on 43 points, ten shy of table-toppers Glasgow Academicals but only three behind second-placed Falkirk.

Next up for Peebles is a trip west to Newton Stewart this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm. Their hosts currently being in third place with 44 points, that match offers Peebles a chance to leapfrog their Dumfries and Galloway rivals, edged out 13-8 at Lasswade at the weekend, if they can do the double against them, having beaten them 21-10 at home at the start of October.

Chisholm was happy to get back to winning ways but less chuffed with his team’s indiscipline, telling Borders Rugby TV afterwards: “I’m absolutely delighted with the result and the defensive performance today.

“With Newton Stewart getting beat, it allows us to look up the way rather than down the way. We go over there next week and we’re excited about the trip.

“Again, though, it’s not all singing and dancing for Peebles, and it never will be. We conceded 21 penalties to Preston Lodge’s ten, and we really shouldn’t be winning games when we’re giving away that many penalties.”