Jed-Forest v Melrose

Jed-Forest v Melrose – 4/4/24

This last 15-a-side match of 2023/24, a Border League clash, originally scheduled for The Greenyards, was played under the Riverside floodlights on a clear evening and, despite recent heavy rain, on a pitch which held up remarkably well. After sustained Melrose pressure for the first ten minutes Jed managed to clear their lines and were, eventually, awarded a penalty on the Melrose 10m line. The kick at goal rebounded off the upright and although Jed retrieved the ball they were held up over the line and Melrose cleared the danger. Apart from this play in the first 20 minutes was between the 22s with neither side able to capitalise. At 25 minutes Melrose gave away a scrum penalty and from a quick tap Harvey Keith scored an unconverted try. On the half hour Melrose put in a period of sustained pressure and a Roly Brett chip through was deflected into touch 5m out. Melrose won the lineout with Logan Kirk completing the rolling maul with a try which Brett converted.

Half time – Jed-Forest 5 Melrose 7

After a succession of penalty offences committed by Jed in their own 22, at 53 minutes, their scrum half was sent to the sin-bin. A scrum was taken for the penalty and after a few phases Angus Runciman crashed over for an unconverted try, then, nine minutes later, Ben McLean was shown a yellow card. Five minutes later, after several penalties and pressure on the Melrose line, the ball was moved wide to Mark Glen whose try was converted by Finlay Scott. The Jed pack then showed a new lease of life with several picks and drives before Nathan Chisholm scored and Scott converted to give Jed the lead for the first time since the tenth minute. However, that lead only lasted six minutes before Melrose won a scrum centre field in the Jed 22. Melrose three-quarters tried to spread the ball wide before Robbie Shirra-Gibb put in a deliberate knock-on and Melrose were awarded a penalty try to end the match honours even.

Jed-Forest 19 Melrose 19

Jed-Forest squad – BACKS – Adam Hendrie, Robbie Douglas, Robbie Shirra-Gibb, Gregor Young, Owen Cranston, Lewis Elder, Rory Marshall, Josh Laing, Mark Glen. FORWARDS – Clark Skeldon©, David Campbell, Nathan Chisholm, Harvey Keith, Jamie Hynd, Dan Wardrop, Finlay Scott, Dylan Riddell, Keiran Scott, Hamish Stenhouse, Nicky Bates.

Melrose – Harry Makowski, Andrew Bradfield, Connor Spence, Paddy Anderson, Matty Bertram, Roly Brett, Bruce Colvine, Will Owen, Logan Kirk, Andrew Kirk, Angus Runciman©, Thomas Brown, Elliot Ruthven, Will Ferrie, Lachlan Gaddie. Replacements – Robbie Robinson, Ben McLean, Hamish Derrick, Elliot Compton, Ali Renton, Scott Clark, Seb van der Sluis, Robin Sharp.

Scorers against Jed…