Currie v Melrose - 12/9/26

Currie v Melrose – 12/9/26

This Round 3 Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership match was played on an overcast afternoon with Melrose kicking off into the breeze. At 5 minutes Currie were penalised for a high tackle on their own 22 with Luke Townsend taking the opportunity to give Melrose a three-point lead. From a penalty lineout rolling maul, at 16 minutes, Ryan Stewart scored an unconverted try in the left corner to give Currie the lead which they increased at 23 minutes with a second Stewart unconverted try, again in the left corner. Five minutes later Ben Pickles broke up the Stand side off-loading to Callum Anderson who scored to the left of the posts with Townsend’s conversion tying the scores. With ten minutes until the break Currie put in a series of plays ending with Ryan Daley scooting into the left corner for an unconverted try. With 90% of the play in the first half being played in the Melrose half of the field it was testament to the Melrose defence that the home team were only five points ahead.

Half time – Currie 15 Melrose 10.

Melrose attacked immediately at the re-start gaining a penalty which was kicked to the left corner. From the lineout maul play crossed the pitch right before, with only a minute played, Paddy Anderson burrowed his way over for a try converted by Townsend who, seven minutes later, kicked a penalty from just inside the Currie half. At 64 minutes Currie made their first visit of the half into the Melrose 22 and, from their attacking move, Kyle Borthwick sprinted over for an unconverted try. Three minutes later Pickles collected a Currie kick out of defence and broke through for an excellent try at the posts with Roly Brett kicking the conversion. With nine minutes remaining fine cross-field passing by Currie ended with Fraser Sayers crossing in the right corner for an unconverted try, then, with no-side imminent, great Currie passing and tiring Melrose defence allowed Alex Harley through to score, and convert, at the posts to give Currie a five-point victory.

Currie 32 Melrose 27

Currie – Fraser Sayers, Ryan Daley, Cameron Gettinby, Scott Robeson, Mason Cullen, Alex Harley, Gregor Christie, Kelton New, Ryan Stewart, Gregor Scougall, Jack Fisher, Andrew Hogarth, Rhys Davies, Ross Morrison, Sam Cardosi. Replacements – Thomas Jeffrey, Nic Thompson, KYLE Borthwick, Sam Wallace, Adam McKenzie, D.J. Innes, James McCaig.

Melrose – Callum Anderson, Ben Pickles, Roly Brett, Gav Wood, Donald Crawford, Luke Townsend, Doug Crawford, Jack Dobie, Millar Anderson, Zen Szwagrzak, Elliot Ruthven, Angus Runciman©, Craig Fairbairn, Paddy Anderson, Sam Derrick. Replacements – Natale Frangione, Craig Greer, Jarrah Bell, Angus Common, Henno Bowe, Scott Clark, Struan Hutchison.

Referee – Jonny Mackenzie. Assistants – Steven Turnbull & David Changleng.

“Off-side Line” Man of the Match – Paddy Anderson.