Rugby’s Scottish National League Division 2 title still in Peebles’ sights as season nears end

David Collins on the way to scoring one of his three tries during Peebles' 54-13 win at home to Berwick at the Gytes on Saturday (Photo: Stephen Mathison)

Second-placed Falkirk are only a point behind them after beating Kirkcaldy 49-35 at the weekend, however, so they can’t afford any slip-ups as both teams enter a three-game run-in to the end of the season.

With 15 fixtures played, head coach Graeme Paterson’s Pees are on 62 points and Falkirk on 61.

The Borderers’ remaining games are all away – to eighth-placed Stirling County this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 2pm; at seventh-placed Kirkcaldy on Saturday, February 17, at 3pm; and at basement side Aberdeen Grammar on Saturday, March 16, also at 3pm.

Ross Wolfenden taking a kick during Peebles' 54-13 win at home to Berwick at the Gytes on Saturday (Photo: Stephen Mathison)

Falkirk’s forthcoming fixtures are at home to second-from-bottom Berwick this weekend, away to fourth-placed Lasswade on the 17th and at home to Stirling on March 16.

Peebles all three reverse fixtures against their upcoming opponents – by 28-15 versus Stirling in December, by 46-17 against Kirkcaldy in November and by 46-13 hosting Aberdeen later that same month – so they’ll be looking for winning doubles on the road to keep up their title challenge.

The Pees’ try-scorers against their Northumbrian visitors were James Dow at the double, David Collins with a hat-trick, Ross Wolfenden, Matt Carryer and Jordan Charters, with Wolfenden converting all but one of them.

Aidan Rosie and Stu Farnaby scored unconverted tries for Berwick and Jack Webster kicked a penalty.

Try-scorer Matt Carryer on the ball during Peebles' 54-13 win at home to Berwick at the Gytes on Saturday (Photo: Stephen Mathison)

Paterson was pleased with the way his team put their game-plan into practice on Saturday and is hoping for more of the same this weekend, telling the club website: “It was a really good application of the game-plan we talked about and practised during the week.

“I thought weplayed some excellent rugby and scored some really good tries.

“Berwick put us under a bit of pressure in the first 20 minutes but we grew in confidence and showed what we can do.

“In Stirling, we just want the same again. We’ll look to apply the same pressure that we applied to Berwick and hopefully that’ll give us the win that we’re seeking.”