Hawick v Melrose - 25/10/25

Hawick v Melrose – 25/10/25

Saturday’s Round 9 Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership match, doubling up for Border League points, was played in bright sunshine and dry overhead, but with a cold breeze blowing diagonally across the pitch. There was a feeling of “déjà vu” early on as Andrew Mitchell broke through towards the Melrose line. Were Melrose about to lose an early score again? Fortunately, Mitchell’s kick ahead was fumbled by Zach Lewis short of the line and Melrose were awarded a relieving scrum. At 8 minutes a Melrose passing move down the far side ended with Ollie Furness crashing over for the opening try which Scott Clark converted. Ten minutes later Melrose won a lineout in the right corner and from the maul Declan Mulcahy made a break passing to Corey Goldsbrough whose try at the posts was converted by Clark. At 23 minutes Charlie Welsh scythed through the Melrose defence to score an unconverted try with Lewis’ attempted conversion rebounding back off the upright. Hawick scored again at 32 minutes when Mitchell shimmied through a tiny gap in the Melrose defence with Lewis adding the extras. Then, at 35 minutes, following a penalty lineout in the left corner, the rolling maul was sacked illegally earning Melrose a penalty try and Hugh Donaldson ten minutes on the naughty step.

Half time – Hawick 12 Melrose 21

Two minutes into the second half Hawick formed a lineout in the right corner from a penalty. The ball was passed short to Fraser Renwick at the front with the hooker diving in for an unconverted try in the corner. From the re-start Melrose attacked down the left wing with Paddy Anderson scoring the, unconverted, Melrose bonus point try in the left corner. Clark then increased the Melrose lead with a penalty at 51 minutes. Three minutes later Roly Brett blotted his copy-book with a deliberate knock-on and a yellow card. In his absence Hawick earned themselves a bonus point try when, with penalty advantage being played, Calum Renwick completed a series of plays with an unconverted try in the right corner. With eight minutes remaining Mulcahy made a fine break to score between the sticks and, before Clark could take his successful conversion, a brouhaha developed behind the posts resulting in Goldsbrough and Dalton Redpath being invited each to take an early bath. A minor scuffle developed three minutes later and from the penalty in mid-field Morgan Gabe (nice to see him back in action) motored up the field off-loading to Angus Weir whose try at the posts was converted by Brett.

Hawick 22 Melrose 43

The Offside Line Man of the Match: Angus Runciman

Hawick – Charlie Welsh, Sean McMichan, Andrew Mitchell, Grant Huggan, Connor McLeod, Kyle Brunton, Zach Lewis, Shawn Muir, Fraser Renwick, Nicky Little, Shaun Fairbairn, Toby Overton, Hugh Donaldson, Mikey Swailes, Connor Sutherland. Replacements – Dalton Redpath, Connor Crawley, Tom Huggan, Calum Renwick, Gareth Welsh, Ben Jardine, Owain Gray.

Melrose – Donald Crawford, Finn Douglas, Corey Goldsbrough, Declan Mulcahy, Paddy Anderson, Logan Karl, Scott Clark, Jack Dobie, Sam Rainey, Adam Arkley, Ollie Furness, Angus Runciman©, Will Ferrie, Henno Bowe, Sam Derrick. Replacements – Campbell Scott, Oli Anderson, Roly Brett, Morgan Gabe, Angus Weir, Jimmy Coull, Ru Campbell.

Referee – Michael Todd