Melrose v Highland
MELROSE 34 | HIGHLAND 22
SATURDAY 9TH DECEMBER 2023
The last Melrose home National 1 match before 2024 was played on a cold and dull afternoon under floodlights and with the rain never very far away. Ten minutes into the match Melrose won a penalty lineout in the Town Corner and, with a replica of the first try against Ayr two weeks ago, Lachlan Gaddie creamed the ball off the top of the lineout to Douglas Crawford who passed to Craig Fairbairn racing in from deep to crash over for an unconverted try. Five minutes later Melrose won another penalty lineout, this time in the Policeman’s Corner, and after a series of plays Angus Runciman scored and Struan Hutchison converted. On 19 minutes, from a scrum, James Blair made a break off-loading to Magnus Henry who raced in unopposed from 40m out to score an unconverted try. At 25 minutes Hugo Crush was yellow carded for collapsing a maul and at the re-start Runciman was red-carded for an apparent shoulder to head tackle. With ten minutes until the break Melrose won a scrum 5 on the right the ball ending with Keiran Clark who scored an unconverted try on the left. With the interval nigh Guerschom Mukendi was yellow carded for an offence close to the line.
Half time – Melrose 17 Highland 5
The Melrose bonus point try came three minutes into the second half with Gaddie rescuing the ball from a retreating scrum and breaking before off-loading to Hutchison who scored and converted to left of the posts. With 56 minutes played, from a penalty lineout rolling maul in St. Mary’s Corner, Craig Fairbairn scored his second try which Hutchison converted. Seven minutes later Melrose were down to 13 players again when Elliot Ruthven was yellow carded for collapsing a maul and Highland added to their tally with an unconverted try by Patrick Ratumaisese. Then, almost immediately, Gordon Gregor made a great break up the middle with the ball eventually reaching Michael Gray who scored to the right of the posts with Scott Fraser adding the extras. Two minutes later Hutchison was wide with a penalty, but made amends with a successful penalty at 73 minutes. The match ended with Andrew Kellock scoring the Highland bonus point try, but Fraser’s hastily taken conversion attempt failed and no-side was declared.
Melrose 34 Highland 22
Melrose – Donald Crawford, Matty Bertram, Keiran Clark, Roly Brett, James Brown, Struan Hutchison, Douglas Crawford, Andrew Kirk, Ben McLean, Guerschom Mukendi, Dylan Cockburn, Angus Runciman©, Craig Fairbairn, Ruairidh Lindsay, Lachlan Gaddie. Replacements – Sandy Fairbairn, Robbie Robinson, Thomas Brown, Elliot Ruthven, Harry Makowski.
Highland – Ruaridh MacDonald, Dan Corr, Michael Gray, James Blair, Magnus Henry, Scott Fraser, Hugo Crush, Stephen Murray, Kevin Brown, Patrick Ratumaisese, Svend Dale Pedersen, Calum MacPherson, Richie Dinnes, Gordon Gregor, Callum Carson. REPLACEMENTS – Lochlan Hodge, Alfred Talbot-Heigh, Ollie Smith, Jacob Powell, Andrew Kellock.
Referee – Malcolm Pratt. Assistants – Ted Coutts & John Hawrylik-Beaton
MAN OF THE MATCH
ANDREW KIRK
Sponsored by Border Embroderies
POINT SCORERS
