If the mark of a good team is winning when playing badly, then the other clubs involved in the Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership should be afraid, very afraid, of reigning champions, Currie.

On Saturday, for most of a wretched first-half display, the Malleny Park brigade were a shadow of their normal selves, lacking fluency and cohesion, and committing a string of basic mistakes, which helped County establish a deserved 15-0 lead at the interval. Yet, in the end, the hosts prevailed to maintain their unbeaten record this season.

Such an outcome seemed distinctly unlikely when Stirling seized the initiative with tries from David Adamson and Allan Robertson, while Jonathan Hope landed a penalty and a conversion.

Yet the match was turned on its head when Currie, notably more energetic in the second period, scored three tries between the 46th and 56th minute, a brace of them courtesy of their vibrant New Zealand recruit, Jonny Smith, who pierced the visiting defence with some barnstorming incisions, as well as slotting a series of conversions in tricky conditions as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

Mark Cairns then sent his team in front, but even at that stage, Stirling rallied with a fine forwards' try for captain, Alex Moffat, which pushed them 22-21 ahead. That guaranteed a fraught finale, but eventually, as the home pack cranked up the momentum, replacement Lawrence Lappin grabbed the touchdown, in the 78th minute, which earned his side a precious victory and a bonus point to boot.