Hillfoots Rams XV..........17
Stirling County 3rd XV...36

BT Caledonia League, Division 3 Midlands (South)

THE Rams welcomed their local rivals to Tillicoultry for the second time in as many weeks in a hastily-arranged friendly due to their respective opponents being unable to fulfil the scheduled league games.

County, playing down the slope, enjoyed plenty of possession and territory for the first 20 minutes of the first half and it was only some heroic Rams defence that kept the visitors to a solitary unconverted try. 

As the half wore on the Rams managed to get their hands on the ball and build some attacks of their own. This pressure was rewarded with a try from Ryan Butterworth, who also kicked the conversion to put the Rams in the lead. 

A rare defensive error from the Rams allowed County to score a converted try on the stroke of half time and go into the break leading 12-7.

In the second half the match really opened up with both teams attacking from all areas of the field.

County were more clinical in their finishing and scored another two unconverted tries to increase their lead to 22-7. 

The Rams’ fighting spirit did not desert them as they responded with an unconverted try scored by guest player Jordan Usher. 

Ryan Butterworth crossed the try line for a second time to bring the Rams back into the game going into the final quarter only five points behind. 

Unfortunately for the Rams it was County who finished the stronger of the two teams as they scored two converted tries as the clock counted down to full time.

The County boys were worthy of their win, but the Rams players can still take a lot of positives from what was a decent performance when they entertain Bo’ness RFC at Tillicoultry on Saturday.