Melrose v Kelso
Border League - 22/3/2024
Melrose v Kelso – 22/3/24
With both teams being short of senior players, Kelso more than Melrose, because of selection for the impending Edinburgh v South of Scotland match, this Border League match was played under the Greenyards floodlights on a cold and blustery evening with the occasional shower of rain. With 30 seconds played Angus Utterson was wide with a penalty straight from an offence at the kick-off, then, at 5 minutes, from a quick ball off the top of a penalty lineout in the Town Corner, Craig Fairbairn crossed for the opening, unconverted, try. Eight minutes later Paddy Anderson, out wide, crossed in the Policeman’s Corner and raced in behind the posts for a try converted by Roly Brett. From a scrum on the right, at 17 minutes, the ball was passed left to Will Ferrie who scored to the left of the posts with Brett converting. From a penalty lineout rolling maul in the Town Corner, at 25 minutes, Ferrie and Brett completed their double act with another seven points. Just at the interval Kelso put in a passing move left with Archie Barbour scoring an unconverted try in the Church Corner.
Half time – Melrose 26 Kelso 5
Four minutes into the second half Kelso were awarded a penalty try and Andrew Kirk a yellow card for collapsing a rolling maul short of the try line. At 57 minutes Melrose spread play left ending with Connor Spence scoring an unconverted try in the Church Corner. Brett kicked a penalty at 69 minutes to end the scoring. The match was finished four minutes early to allow attention to a serious injury suffered by Cammy Brown. We wish him well for a speedy recovery.
Melrose 34 Kelso 12
Melrose – Keiran Clark, Matty Bertram, Connor Spence, Paddy Anderson, Harry Makowski, Roly Brett, Bruce Colvine, Will Owen, Logan Kirk, Andrew Kirk, Thomas Brown, Angus Runciman©, Seb van der Sluis, Will Ferrie, Craig Fairbairn. Replacements – Robbie Robinson, Ali Renton, Hamish Derrick, Archie Pilcher, Angus Weir, Robin Sharp, Andrew Bradfield, Jack Wilks.
Kelso – Archie Barbour, Robbie Tweedie, James Thomson, Duncan Smith, Murray McGregor, Angus Utterson, Nik Stingl, Charlie Marshall, James Glendinning, Ashton Asante, Euan Thomson, Andrew Sweenie, Cammy Thomson, Murray Woodcock, Cammy Brown©. Replacements – Euan Knox, Angus McGregor, Terry Logan, Mark Wilson, William Tweedie, Harry Taylor, Mackenzie Shaw, Jack Walker.
Referee – Scott Cubitt. Assistants – Walter Gaffney & Brian McGuff.
Man of the Match…
