Edinburgh Accies v Melrose – 3/10/26
This Round 6 Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership match was played on a fine afternoon in the Capital. The hosts opened the scoring at ten minutes when, after a series of plays, Paddy Hayes picked up and dived over for a try converted by Finlay Anderson. With 23 minutes played Robbie Chalmers scythed through the Melrose defence off-loading to Hector Lawrtie who scored an unconverted try in the corner. The first Melrose try came on the half hour with Sam Derrick driving from a lineout before Logan Kirk finished things off with an unconverted try. Melrose took a scrum for a penalty close to the Accies line, five minutes from the break, with Ru Campbell scoring and Luke Townsend converting to level the scores.
Half time – Edinburgh Accies 12 Melrose 12.
Two minutes into the second half Derrick broke before re-cycling the ball to Townsend who then spun a long wide pass out to Donald Crawford whose try was converted by Townsend. Ten minutes later, after sustained pressure, Rob Gordon scored with Anderson’s conversion tying the scores again. The Melrose bonus point try came after another five minutes when Townsend broke into the Accies half and, when faced with a two on one situation, he drew his man and before passing to Doug Crawford whose score Townsend converted. Mid-way through the half Accies put in a series of plays with Oliver Finlayson-Russell bashing his way over for the Accies bonus point try which Anderson converted – scores tied again. With eight minutes remaining Townsend put in a long wide pass to Ben Pickles who, in turn, passed to Gav Wood who scored the winning, but unconverted, try in the corner.
Edinburgh Accies 26 Melrose 31.
Edinburgh Accies – Jock Lawrie, Hector Lawrie, Robbie Chalmers, Finlay Anderson, Max Thomas-Mayes, Vincent Hart, George Barlow, Paddy Hayes, George Shannon, Rob Cromar, Oliver Finlayson-Russell, Struan Whittaker©, Max Erasmus, Rob Gordon, Jamie Soul. Replacements – Callum Black, Gordon Hutchison, Fyfe Donaldson, Toby Edwin, Connor Sholto-Douglas, Cameron MacDonald, David Braithwaite.
Melrose – Struan Hutchison, Charlie Robbie, Ben Pickles, Gav Wood, Donald Crawford, Luke Townsend, Scott Clark, Jack Dobie, Logan Kirk, Zen Szwagrzak, Jarrah Bell, Angus Runciman©, Sam Derrick, Paddy Anderson, Ru Campbell. Replacements – Robbie Robinson, Ben White, Elliot Ruthven, Dylan Cockburn, Doug Crawford, Craig Fairbairn, Roly Brett.