BT Premiership ROUND-UP | Hawick edge ahead in race to beat drop

A blustery day at Mansfield Park hosted a fiercely contested match between two sides fighting to distance themselves from relegation.

Hawick came out on top, leaving Boroughmuir facing the increasingly likely prospect of a play-off.

The home side got onto the board after just two minutes with a simple penalty but Boroughmuir did not make life easy for them as they carried patiently and worked their way into the opposition 22.

Hawick disrupted well only to hand possession back and Boroughmuir capped their powerful play with a score beneath the sticks. The kick was charged down but they stretched their lead a couple of minutes later with a penalty of their own.

Hard carrying from both teams was let down by errors when it mattered but Hawick took charge at the scrum and the referee had no choice but to award the penalty try.

It was déjà vu before the half time whistle and a second penalty try gave the Greens a nine-point lead at the break.

Half Time | Hawick 17 – 8 Boroughmuir

Boroughmuir, now with the wind at their backs, wasted little time in striking and rumbled a maul over the line to cut the deficit to four after 47 minutes.

The Green Machine had one of their own only a couple of minutes later as they spurned a shot at goal for their own maul off the line out and cancelled out the ‘Muir score.

The visitors were enjoying most of the possession but couldn’t make it count and, on 70 minutes, a break from halfway gave Hawick the territory and a try wasn’t far behind.

Boroughmuir besieged Hawick’s line in the dying moments, desperate to claim a losing bonus point, and their perseverance paid off as they cut through to ensure they didn’t leave empty handed.

From 10 consecutive defeats, the Borderers are now in the midst of a very different run of form with five wins on the bounce and will fancy their chances of avoiding even a relegation play-off.

Full Time | Hawick 27 – 20 Boroughmuir

Elsewhere, Heriot’s bounced back from a derby day defeat to Watsonians to beat second place Ayr and keep their play-off hopes well alive.

Watsonians’ win at home to Glasgow Hawks keeps them in the mix and Currie Chieftains won on the road at Stirling County.

Marr’s game against Melrose was postponed due to an unplayable pitch.

BT Premiership Results

Marr P – P Melrose

Heriot’s 13 – 10 Ayr

Watsonians 36 – 0 Glasgow Hawks

Stirling County 12 – 35 Currie Chieftains