BT Premiership round-up: Melrose power past Boroughmuir
Boroughmuir 12-45 MelroseBorders side Melrose retained their position at the top of the BT Premiership table with a fine victory over host’s Boroughmuir at Meggetland.A close first-half saw Melrose probe with intent, as Jason Baggott secured the first points with a penalty strike, and a score from George Taylor combined with Ross McCann’s first of three inside the opening 40. Boroughmuir enjoyed spells of possession and reacted with a try from flanker Matt Walker, converted by captain Chris Laidlaw, and a score from Jordan Edmunds who sprinted over in the left corner to keep the sides within a point of one another at the break – 12-13 to the visitors.After the interval, Melrose found their rhythm and were rewarded with a Baggott penalty before McCann found space down the left to leave the defence for dead. Baggott added the extras.A drive over try, courtesy of a well-taken lineout, recorded Melrose’s bonus-point score. Russell Anderson touched down and Baggott slotted the conversion to bring the visitor’s up to 30 points.The final ten minutes saw a rampant Melrose take control of possession, Nyle Godsmark going over in the left corner after linking with Fraser Thomson, and McCann securing his hat-trick after backing his pace for the line.Austin Lockington had the final say for Melrose with a darting run, which weaved the defence in the close quarters. An assured second-half performance from the visitors, the difference between the two sides at Meggetland. Boroughmuir: Tries: Walker, Edmunds. Conversion: Laidlaw. Melrose: Tries: Taylor, McCann (3), Anderson, Godsmark, Lockington. Conversions: Baggott. Penalties: Baggott (2).Referee: Luc Ramos (France) Elsewhere, Melrose Storm remain unbeaten in BT National Reserve League Division 1, having won nine from nine. The Storm overcame Boroughmuir’s 2nd XV 50-12 at Meggetland on Saturday. Images: Dave Patterson (above), Douglas Hardie (right). Heriot’s 58-15 Watsonians Heriot’s recorded a resounding win over local rivals Watsonians to cement their place inside the league’s top four.The match also saw the reigning champions retain the Bill McLaren Shield, after receiving the shield from Melrose following victory over the Borders side in round eight of the competition.It was the home side who first drew blood with John Rae touching down for two tries in the opening stages before Russell Nimmo followed suit to record another two before the 30-minute mark. Alex Hagart added the conversion for the fourth and bonus-point try.Harry Boisseau was next on the score sheet for Heriot’s and was closely followed by Michael Maltman, which was again converted by Hagart.Watsonians, having been blown away during the first-half, managed to score before the interval. Angus Duckett finding the line on the stroke of half-time to get the visitors up and running, despite a 34-5 score line. In the second-half, four tries from Heriot’s proved the distance between the two teams, Charlie Simpson racing over in the 50th minute, Nimmo securing his hat-trick and Junior Rasolea bagging two tries. All three scores were converted by Ewan Fox in the closing stages.Watsonians took their opportunities where possible; Craig Borthwick and Nathan Borel recording scores between ruthless attacks from the hosts. Heriot’s: Tries: Rae, Nimmo (3), Boisseau, Maltman, Simpson, Rasolea (2). Conversions: Hagart (2), Fox (2). Watsonians: Tries: Duckett, Borthwick, Borel. Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland) Currie 32-41 Ayr Ayr overcame Currie in a high-scoring game at Malleny Park to continue their strive for the top of the table.A bright start from both sides resulted in tries, Ayr’s Will Bordill taking the initiative in the fourth minute with an early score, before Currie captain Ross Weston responded minutes later. Frazier Climo converted Bordill’s effort.James Bywater secured two penalties for Currie during the first-half to add to Weston’s early touch down, as Climo also slotted three points for Ayr in the 16th minute. Bordill went over for his second before the 30-minute mark, and Ayr were making the most of quick ball with their third coming courtesy of Scott Sutherland, as Climo added the extras for both scores.Full-back Grant Anderson secured the final try of the half for Ayr to wrap up a half-time score in favour of the visitors, 11-31.After the break, Climo bagged an early penalty with Ayr building on momentum from the first-half. Robbie Nelson then responded for Currie with his side’s second try of the match coming in the 55th minute, Bywater converted. The hosts enjoyed a lengthy spell of possession and were rewarded with another try, Ben Robbins making his way over and Bywater adding the points.Climo responded for Ayr with a try of his own, which he converted with a minute on the clock. However, it was Currie who claimed the final try, Robbins adding his second and Harvey Elms converted. Ayr: Tries: Bordill, Sutherland, Anderson, Climo. Conversions: Climo (5). Penaltiess: Climo (2). Currie: Tries: Weston, Nelson, Robbins (2). Conversions: Bywater (2), Elms. Penalties: Bywater (2). Referee: Ludovic Cayre (France) Image: Adrian Henry Glasgow Hawks 50-24 GalaHawks overwhelmed Borders outfit Gala at Old Anniesland in what was a close contest at half-time.The hosts were leading 24-10 at the interval after tries from Josh Henderson, Warriors’ flanker Matt Fagerson and George Horne on the half-hour mark. Horne, who was enjoying a fine day with the boot, converted all three tries and added a penalty to proceedings.On the stroke of half-time, Gala gathered some momentum and managed to score through Alex Northam with Gregor Hunter, who had already secured a penalty for Gala in the first-half, adding the extras. Henderson came out firing for Hawks in the second-half, crossing twice for the hosts to combine with a try from Grant Stewart and Horne’s second.Although Hawks came away with the spoils, Gala had the final say with Edinburgh’s Rory Scholes going over to build on his hat-trick from last weekend against Boroughmuir. Hunter added the conversion.Hawks: Tries: Henderson (3) Fagerson, Horne (2), Stewart. Conversions: Horne (5). Penalties: Horne (3). Gala: Tries: Northam (2), Scholes. Conversions: Hunter (2). Penalty: Hunter.Referee: Calum Howard (England) Hawick 30-43 Stirling CountyCounty reversed a 15-11 half-time score of in favour of host’s Hawick to cement themselves in seventh place following round ten of competition.Stuart Graham combined with Ali Weir, Greg Cottrell and Wesley Hamilton in Hawick’s try-scoring efforts, as Weir added two penalties and conversions. For County, tries from Reyner Kennedy, Adam Nicol, David Montgomery, Matt Donaldson and Callum Hunter-Hill secured an eventual lead for the visitors. Full-back Jonny Hope totalled three conversions and three penalties.Hawick: Tries: Graham, Weir, Cottrell, Hamilton. Conversions: Weir (2). Penalties: Weir (2). Stirling: Tries: Kennedy, Nicol, Montgomery, Donaldson, Hunter-Hill. Conversions: Hope (3). Penalties: Hope (4). Referee: Ross MabonImage: Kenny Baillie
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