BT Premiership round-up: Watsonians overcome champions Heriot’s

BT Premiership round-up: Watsonians overcome champions Heriot’s

Watsonians 25-18 Heriot’sBT Premiership newcomers Watsonians produced a fine display to defeat reigning champions Heriot’s 25-18 at Myreside.Although a series of penalties from both sides produced a 6-6 score-line come the half-way stage, Marcus Di Rollo’s men capitalised on sustained pressure to secure the first try of the game through Dairmaid Dee in the 43rd minute. The Watsonians flanker charged through the Heriot’s defence and bustled his way over, before Ewan Scott added the extras with the boot.The home side continued to pressurise and it wasn’t long before a penalty try was awarded after Heriot’s No 8 Callum Marshall reacted in the scrum, as Scott converted.Heriot’s began to build strong phases through the forwards, eventually finding the line through Liam Steele with the help of Jack McLean in the 66th minute, before Alex Hagart slotted the sticks.With minutes left on the clock, replacement Euan McKirdy went over for Watsonians from close range to secure the result for the hosts.However, it was Phil Smith’s charges who managed to have the final say, Josh Laird sprinting over in the corner during injury time.Watsonians: Tries: Dee, Penalty, McKirdy; Cons: Scott (2); Pens: Scott (2). Heriot’s: Tries: Steele, Laird; Con: Hagart; Pens: Hagart (2). Referee: Graeme Ormiston Ayr 53-10 CurrieLast season’s table-toppers Ayr got off to a flying start in their opening game of the BT Premiership season, overcoming Currie 53-10 at Millbrae.The home side started quickly with a score from centre Ross Curle in the first minute, with tries added from captain Pete McCallum, Archie Russell and Jamie Bova before the interval.Currie’s Jamie Forbes put his team on the score-board in the 41st minute with a successful penalty attempt.In a devastating 15 minute spell, the Ayr back-line showed their class and rattled in three excellent tries; speed and scintillating handling left Currie in their slipstream. Bova secured a hat-trick, the Millbrae man impressing on the wing in a match which suited Ayr’s pacey back-line.Frazier Climo scored Ayr’s seventh try in the 56th minute before Danny McCluskey went over for the side’s final score. Climo converted five of Ayr’s tries to round-up an effective day with the boot.The plucky visitors never gave up and were credited with a consolation score at the end of a very entertaining match, it came from a cross-field kick for Cameron Gray to collect and score in the 77th minute before Forbes converted. Ayr: Try: Curle, McCallum, Russell, Bova (3), Climo, McCluskey; Cons: Climo (5); Pen: Climo. Currie: Try: Gray; Con: Forbes; Pen: Forbes. Referee: Sam Grove-White Stirling County 28-19 HawickStirling County defeated Borders side Hawick 28-19 at Bridgehaugh to secure the perfect start to their BT Premiership campaign.Although Hawick scored first through full-back Kirk Ford within the opening three minutes before converting, County soon responded with a try from winger Matt Lamb. Jonny Hope made the most of a penalty opportunity in the 12th minute to build County’s lead. Lamb then secured a penalty to push County into a narrow lead. However, D’arcy Graham went over for Hawick minutes later with Ford adding the extras.The visitors capitalised on the break and it was Gary Johnstone who made his way over from the centre position in the 21st minute.Hope secured another penalty minutes later before Bruce Sorbie scored for Stirling County on the 30 minute-mark.The second-half gave County an opportunity to build momentum and they eventually found a way through with Ruairidh Lieshman touching down and Hope converting to secure the win.Stirling County: Try: Lamb, Sorbie, Leishman. Cons: Hope (2). Pens: Hope (3). Hawick: Tries: Ford, Graham, Johnstone. Cons: Ford (2). Referee: Tim Baker Melrose 51-24 BoroughmuirMelrose put eight tries past Boroughmuir at The Greenyards to secure a 51-24 victory to kick-start the season.James Baggot went over for Melrose’s first score after James Head made ground in the 4th minute. Boroughmuir reacted with several phases before Thomas Gracie barged his way over and Chris Laidlaw nailed the conversion.A Melrose penalty followed shortly after, and a try second with winger Ross McCann making the most of possession before George Taylor converted. James Head went over for the host’s third try to extend their lead before half-time.Melrose captain Bruce Colvine and Bagott went over for tries after the interval, securing a bonus point.Boroughmuir responded through Jordan Edmunds and Andy Rose, but Melrose prevailed with a further three scores, Murdo McAndrew, Ruaridh Knott and McCann with a second.Melrose: Tries: Bagott (2), McCann (2), Head, Colvine, McAndrew, Knott; Cons: Taylor (3) Lockington; Pens: Taylor. Boroughmuir: Tries: Gracie, Edmunds, Rose, Keddie; Cons: Laidlaw (2). Referee: Keith Allen Gala 27-43 Glasgow HawksGlasgow Hawks secured a 43-27 victory over Gala at Netherdale with an end-to-end match producing exciting displays of running rugby. Hawks made the perfect start through Matt Fagerson with George Horne converting successfully after five minutes. Horne nailed a penalty from over half-way minutes later to extend the visitor’s lead. Fagerson went over for his second after Horne assisted and added the extras in the 12th minute before Kerr Gossman intercepted Gala’s Graham Spiers to cross for Horne to again convert.Gossman made a darting run in the 20th minute to bag his second of the match with Horne again converting, Gala responded through Stevie Cairns five minutes later but it was Hawks who later pressurised and scored again. Erland Oag touching down and Horne striking with the boot for a 38-8 half-time lead.Gala kicked off the second-half with two scores from Craig Robertson after the interval but Hawks continued to dominate with Horne racing over in the 60th minute.Dean Brooker darted across the line to pave the way for Gregor Hunter to convert from the touchline in the 75th minute. However, Hawks were too far ahead at this late stage in the game.Gala: Tries Cairns, Robertson (2), Brooker; Cons: Hunter (2); Pen: Hunter. Glasgow Hawks: Tries: Fagerson (2), Gossman (2), Oag, Horne; Cons: Horne (5); Pen: Horne. Referee: Mike AdamsonElsewhere, teams from across the BT leagues went head-to-head in the first round of BT Cup competition. For a full list of results, click here.  

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