Melrose v Gala

MELROSE 15 | GALA 10

WAVERLY CUP

Although the Boxing Day Waverley Cup has been on the go since 2006 to-day was only the 15th playing with frost (2009) and covid (2020 & 2021) accounting for the cancellations. The match was played on a dry day with a cold wind and the floodlights being illuminated from the start. Both teams had periods of domination in the first half, but it took until 35 minutes before the score-keeper was brought into action. From a ruck, after a series of plays, Roly Brett broke right passing, on the Gala 10m line, to Elliot Ruthven who, showing great pace, raced into the Policeman’s Corner for an unconverted try.

Half time – Melrose 5 Gala 0

Melrose pressed from the start of the second half and, after four minutes, on the Gala 22, Struan Hutchison chipped the ball through with Craig Fairbairn winning the foot-race for the touch-down. Hutchison added the extras and twenty minutes later increased the Melrose lead with a penalty. From the re-start several players must have been feeling the cold as they took the term “Boxing Day” to heart with a pitch battle to warm themselves up and Ruairidh Lindsay was yellow carded for a high tackle. Two minutes later Gala won a scrum mid-field near the Melrose posts and from a sloppy scrum half pass left Daniel Nicholson retrieved the bouncing ball on the Melrose 22 and raced into the Town Corner for an unconverted try. Next to the “naughty step”, on 71 minutes, was Gala debutant Mason Brown for a deliberate knock-on. Hutchison was wide with a penalty attempt on 74 minutes and, thereafter, Gala kept up their pressure and following a mid-field scrum they put in a series of plays ending with Ben Gill scoring an unconverted try in the Town Corner. Ben Simmonds’ failed conversion attempt ended the match which gave Melrose their eighth victory in the series.

Melrose 15 Gala 10

Melrose Man of the Match – James Brown

Fittingly in his last match for the club, after 10 seasons playing at the Greenyards, James Brown was awarded Man of the Match.

James has been an integral member of the club, both on and (especially) off the pitch. A truly unique character who will be dearly missed; the tight shorts maybe not so much… From everyone at The Greenyards, we wish James all the best on his travels and whatever lies ahead! #itsnotgoodbyeitsseeyoulater

Melrose – Donald Crawford, Keiran Clark, Connor Spence, Roly Brett, Matty Bertram, Struan Hutchison (C), Douglas Crawford, Will Owen, Ben McLean, Guerschom Mukendi, Dylan Cockburn, Elliot Ruthven, Craig Fairbairn, Will Ferrie, Lachlan Gaddie. Replacements – Sandy Fairbairn, Andrew Kirk, Thomas Brown, Ruairidh Lindsay, Scott Clark, James Brown, Bruce Colvine, Hamish Weir.

Gala – Murray Wilson, Ben Gill, Callum Pate, Gregor Mein, Richie Mitchell, Russell Kerr, Jack Niven, Michael Angus, Jack Easson, Kyle Scott, Robbie Irvine, Glen McCrum, Angus Dun (C), Liam Scott, Craig Keddie. Replacements – Richie Tod, Neil Turnbull, Cammy Pate, Sam Smith, Daniel Kerr, Mason Brown, Daniel Nicholson, Ben Simmonds.

Gala Man of the Match – Ben Gill

Referee – Gordon Glashan. Assistants – Matthew Wilkie & Fraser Brock