GHA v Melrose - 29/8/26
GHA v Melrose – 29/8/26
What A difference a year makes! In comparison to last year’s match, played in a continuous drizzle, this year’s Arnold Clark Premiership match was played in bright, warm, dry and still conditions conducive to open and fast rugby. Playing in their new “Melrose 150 Away” strip they faced the GHA kick-off. With three minutes played Melrose won a lineout on their left side 20m out with the maul rumbling towards the try line. Logan Kirk, with his hands on the ball, managed to touch down with Luke Townsend converting. It only took the hosts two minutes to reply – could it be Melrose profligacy again? GHA won a lineout near halfway and progressed rapidly down the right side before Oli Nash scored an unconverted try in the corner. GHA took the lead five minutes later, with advantage being played. Nash collected a wickedly bouncing ball to score in the left corner with, this time, Ben MacDougall adding the extras. With eighteen minutes played Melrose won a penalty lineout with the ball being passed left from the maul by Doug Crawford to Gav Wood who in turn passed to Craig Fairbairn who raced in behind the posts for a try which Townsend converted. Five minutes later Finn Douglas intercepted on the Melrose 22 and, despite the attention of Struan White, managed to score at the posts. Townsend’s conversion was followed by his kicking a monstrous penalty from the GHA 10m line. Seven minutes before the break Melrose put in a series of plays ending with Wood scoring an unconverted try.
Half time – GHA 12 Melrose 29.
With six minutes of the second half played Melrose were pressing the home line, but the ball was lost with Charlie Lonergan making the break before the ball was passed to Nash and then to Euan McKirdy who scored at the posts with MacDougall converting. Mid-way through the half the hosts won a penalty lineout on the right passing the ball left across the pitch to Lonergan who scored an unconverted try in the left corner. Five minutes later Jonathan Davis made a great break through an absent Melrose defence to score at the posts leaving MacDougall a straight-forward conversion to give GHA a two-point lead. With two minutes remaining Callum Anderson, for the umpteenth time, broke through the GHA defence off-loading to Christian Olesen who, in turn, off-loaded to Ru Campbell who scored an unconverted try to give Melrose a three-point lead. From the kick-off GHA exerted extreme pressure in an attempt to gain victory – was this to be the déjà vu from last year? Their forwards hashed and bashed at the Melrose line when, inches away from scoring, they coughed up a penalty which Townsend tapped and hoofed into the car park. Endings like this don’t do much for an old man’s heart!
GHA – 31 Melrose 34
GHA – Ben MacDougall, Struan White, Charlie Lonergan, Michael Hughes, Oli Nash, Andrew Goudie, Euan McKirdy, Craig Miller, Ruari Campbell, Callum Norrie, Adam Kerr, Sean Callaghan, Jonathan Davis, Dario Ewing©, Oscar Lonergan-Black. Replacements – Euan McGoern, Zak Burgess, Michael Fox, Struan Finlayson, Milan Marinkovic, Ben Curtis, Jensen Gowdy.
Melrose – Callum Anderson, Charlie Robbie, Ben Pickles, Gav Wood, Finn Douglas, Luke Townsend, Doug Crwford, Jack Dobie, Logan Kirk, Zen Szwagrzak, Sam Derrick, Angus Runciman©, Craig Fairbairn, Paddy Anderson, Ru Campbell. Replacements – Robbie Robinson, Craig Greer, Henno Bowe, Christian Olesen, Scott Clark, Jaxson Douglas, Roly Brett.
Congratulations to Callum Anderson who was named ‘Man of the Match’ & both Callum & Luke Townsend were named to the Offside Line Dream Team of the Week! Congratulations guys!
Referee – Ciaran Stark. Assistants – D. Young & A. Watt