Melrose v Selkirk

Melrose v Selkirk – 28/9/24

This week’s Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership match, doubling up as a Border League encounter, was played on a dull and breezy afternoon. Melrose started the ball rolling, at 3 minutes, when Logan Kirk finished a penalty lineout rolling maul with an unconverted try in the Policeman’s Corner. From the kick-off a series of plays developed with, eventually, Hugo Alderson being dispatched to the posts where he scored and converted a try. At 19 minutes, starting on their own 10m line, Selkirk advanced down the pitch leading to Callum Anderson scoring and Alderson converting. Three minutes later Selkirk again breached the Melrose defence putting Alderson over for an unconverted try, then, at 29 minutes an Alderson penalty attempt bounced off the upright and the ball remained in play. Three minutes from the break, following a lineout maul, Will Ferrie scored to the right of the posts with Roly Brett converting.

Half time – Melrose 12 Selkirk 19

Three minutes into the second half Jack Dobie started a Melrose attack down the centre and, after a series of plays, completed the attack himself with a try to the right of the posts with Brett adding the extras to level the scores. Ill-discipline then broke out with Brett, at 49 minutes, Keiran Westlake, at 58 minutes, and Dylan Bronlund, at 71 minutes, receiving yellow cards for high tackles. From Westlake’s misdemeanour Douglas Crawford, in front of the posts, sclaffed his penalty attempt so there was no alteration in the score, but from Bronlund’s punishment Brett made no mistake breaking the deadlock and giving Melrose the lead. Then heartbreak! From a ruck in the Melrose 22, close to the touchline and just on no-side, Aaron McColm noticed that the Melrose defence had drifted in-field in anticipation of the Selkirk move so he darted to his right up the narrow side passing to Josh Welsh who squeezed into the Policeman’s Coner for the, unconverted, Selkirk bonus point try, and victory.

Melrose 22 Selkirk 24

Melrose – Keiran Clark, Hamish Weir, Declan Mulcahy, Roly Brett, Corey Goldsbrough, Evan Davies, Bruce Colvine, Will Owen, Logan Kirk, Zen Swagrzak, Angus Weir, Angus Runciman©, Will Ferrie, Ben McLean, Ruairidh Lindsay. Replacements – Andrew Cellabos, Jack Dobie, Robbie Robinson, Elliot Ruthven, Douglas Crawford, Struan Hutchison, Morgan Gabe.

Selkirk – Callum Anderson, Josh Welsh, Andrew Grant-Suttie, Brodie Allan, Ben Pickles, Aaron McColm©, Hugo Alderson, Luke Pettie, Corey Tait, Bruce Riddell, Andrew McColm©, Jack Fisher, Dylan Bronlund, Taylor Wilson, Keiran Westlake. Replacements – James Bett, Ryder Joyce, Andrew Cochrane, Lachlan Ferguson, Ethan Wilson, Oliver McClymont.

Referee – Sam O’Neil.  Assistants – David Changleng & Kevin McGhee.