Melrose v Currie Chieftans 7/12/24
Melrose v Currie – 7/12/24
What a difference a week makes! Despite the antics of Storm Darragh this was a cracker of a Festive match with the teams being welcomed onto the pitch by a guard of honour formed by the Mini “Ho Ho” Hornets and the match ball being presented by “Santa”.
The visitors, desperate to spoil the party, came out with all guns blazing but, after pressure, all they managed was, at seven minutes, a penalty kicked by Alex Harley to give them the lead for the only time during the match. Four minutes later, at a defensive scrum 5, Melrose shunted Currie off the ball and Bruce Colvine collected and nipped in at the posts for a try converted by Struan Hutchison.
On the quarter hour Melrose won a penalty lineout on the right and, after a series of plays crabbing left, Hutchison scored and converted a try in the Town Corner. At 26 minutes Melrose won another penalty lineout and, again after a series of plays, this time Allan Ferrie crashed over, at the posts, for a try converted by Hutchison. Following a cumulation of penalties Ferrie, at 35 minutes, was invited to take a ten-minute seat on the naughty step. Currie took a scrum for the penalty near the posts with Harley scoring and converting. Then, just on half time, Hutchison was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on. Currie, again, took a scrum for the penalty and, this time, Archie Fletcher scored and Harley converted.
Half time – Melrose 19 Currie 17.
Despite being down to 13 players Melrose took the second half initiative with one minute played with Keiran Clark kicking a penalty. As Ferrie returned to the play Currie won a penalty lineout and from the rolling maul Ed. Hasdell scored an unconverted try to level the scoring. At 53 minutes Ferrie made a fantastic break from just inside the Currie half off-loading to Ruairidh Lindsay who romped in between the posts for the Melrose bonus point try which Hutchison converted. At the start of the final quarter Angus Runciman was sin-binned for repeated Melrose offences at the break down, but this did not stop Ferrie making another fine break to score at the posts with Hutchison adding the extras. The Currie bonus point try came at 69 minutes when Rhys Davies scored a close range try with Charlie Brett converting. Four minutes later Morgan Gabe ran the ball from deep before off-loading to Hutchison who, again, scored and converted to end an enthralling game of rugby.
“Schooner Scorer” “Man of the Match” – Allan Ferrie
Melrose 43 Currie 29
Melrose – Morgan Gabe, Keiran Clark, Declan Mulcahy, Roly Brett, Corey Goldsbrough, Struan Hutchison, Bruce Colvine, Will Owen, Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, Zen Szwagrzak, Angus Weir, Angus Runciman©, Ben McLean, Finlay Sinclair, Allan Ferrie. Replacements – Will Ferrie, Jack Dobie, Jimmy Coull, Luke Townsend, Ruairidh Lindsay, Dylan Cockburn, Elliot Ruthven.
Currie – Charlie Brett, James McCaig, Ryan Southern, D.J.Innes, Ryan Daley, Alex Harley, Gregor Christie, Chris Anderson, Ryan Stewart, Cairn Ramsay, Hamish Bain, Rhys Davies, Sam Cardosi, Archie Fletcher, Ed. Hasdell. Replacements – Roy Vucago, Jamie Stewart, Gregor Scougall, Ali Bain, Kyle Borthwick, Scott Robeson, Iain Sim.
Referee – Fergus Hollins. Assistants – Matthew Wilkie & Graham Hogg.
