Heriots v Melrose - 22/11/25
Heriots v Melrose – 22/11/25
With the journey up from the Borders, for this Round 10 Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership match, being in bright sunshine it was a disappointment to find Gpldenacre festooned in a cold “haar” with minimal sunshine visible on the east side of the pitch at kick-off. With seven minutes played Logan Karl chipped ahead in the home 22 with the bouncing ball eluding the Heriot’s defence, but was picked up by Paddy Anderson whose score to the right of the posts was converted by Scott Clark. Six minutes later, from a penalty lineout in the left corner, Sam Wallace completed the maul with a score converted by Innes Parkin to level the scores. A further six minutes on Elliot Young scored an identical, but unconverted, try in the same corner. At 28 minutes, from a tap penalty on the left, Pat Spence completed the move with an unconverted try. With four minutes until the break Henno Bowe made an impressive break up the far side before Morgan Gabe fed Paddy Anderson who slid into the left corner for a try converted by Clark.
Half time – Heriots 17 Melrose 14
Eleven minutes into the second half Jack Dobie put in a monstrous fly-hack before gathering and racing to the posts for a try converted by Clark. Five minutes later Melrose took a scrum for a penalty and from the resulting series of plays Sam Derrick scored the Melrose bonus point try which Clark converted. A great break from Wallace two minutes later was off-loaded to Rory Kirkpatrick who scored the unconverted Heriots bonus point try. Five minutes later a series of plays developed with picks and drives before Kirkpatrick scored again with Angus Reid converting. With Melrose one point in arrears Clark, at 69 minutes, attempted to kick a penalty, but the ball drifted wide of the posts. With five minutes remaining Melrose were awarded another penalty slightly closer, but, with Clark now off the field, they opted to kick to the corner. The rolling maul crossed the line, but, by the thickness of a Heriots hand, Melrose were deemed to have been held up and Heriots were awarded a goal-line drop out. On 40 minutes Reid attempted a penalty kick at goal, but did not score. Melrose managed to retrieve the ball before it went dead and attempted to run the length of the pitch to gain glory. Unfortunately, a loose pass was intercepted by Adam Williamson who rushed to the posts to score with Reid’s conversion depriving Melrose of a second bonus point.
The “Graham Dall Trophy” now resides in the Goldenacre Trophy Cabinet for the rest of this season.
Heriots 36 Melrose 28
Heriots – Innes Parkin, Noah SakapajlI, Thomas Glendinning, Zack Smith, Rory Brogan, Struan Wells, Struan Talac, Thomas Kaijaks, Elliot Young, Struan Cessford, Patrick Spence, Ruairidh Leishman©, Rory Kirkpatrick, Sam Wallace, Callum Anderson. Replacements – Rory Jackson, William Dineen, Ross Brown, Jason Hill, Sam Howarth, Adam Williamson, Angus Reid.
Melrose – Morgan Gabe, Finn Douglas, Corey Goldsbrough, Declan Mulcahy, Paddy Anderson, Logan Karl, Scott Clark, Jack Dobie, Campbell Scott, Oli Anderson, Angus Weir, Angus Runciman©, Will Ferrie, Sam Derrick, Ru. Campbell. Replacements – Ben McLean, Sam Rainey, Roly Brett, Donald Crawford, Ollie Furness, Douglas Crawford, Henno Bowe.
Referee – Michael Todd.
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Heriots win back the Graham Dall Trophy - each team have won it once this season!