Melrose v Jed Forest 16/8/25
Melrose v Jed-Forest – 16/8/25
To-day’s Border League match, played in hot and sunny conditions, was preceded by a Minutes Silence for Past Melrose President Drew Scott. With three minutes played Finn Douglas screeched up the far side to score the opening, unconverted, try in the Policeman’s Corner. Six minutes later Melrose won a scrum on their own 22 and, passed right, the ball reached Douglas on half way and he wasted no time racing, again, for the Policeman’s Corner for his second unconverted try. On 13 minutes Finlay Scott was wide with a penalty attempt and from the resulting 22 Melrose retrieved the ball and burst up the stand side. A series of plays developed with Ru Campbell driving over with Roly Brett’s conversion being the first successful kick of the day. From a scrum 10m out from the Jed line, at 23 minutes, Connor Spence scored in the Town Corner and Brett converted. At 26 minutes it was Jed’s turn to score with Aaron Weatherhead scampering down the Stand side to score in St. Mary’s Corner with Scott converting. Five minutes later Ben McLean completed a series of picks and drives to the left of the posts with a try converted by Brett. The half ended with Ollie Furness scoring and Brett converting.
Half time – Melrose 38 Jed-Forest 7
Two minutes into the second half Finlay Sinclair completed a series of plays with an unconverted try in the Church Corner. Four minutes later Logan Kirk completed a Melrose passing move across the pitch with an unconverted try in the Church Corner. From a scrum on the Melrose 22, at 49 minutes, Robbie Douglas spotted the gap to score between the posts with Scott adding the extras. Three minutes later another gap in the Melrose defence was spotted with Weatherhead scoring his second try and Scott his third conversion. Then Melrose re-awakened! From a scrum on the Jed 22on the right, at 56 minutes, the ball was passed to Brett and his onward pass allowed Donald Crawford to race into St. Mary’s Corner for a try converted by Callum Ramm. At 64 minutes Elliot Ruthven dived on to a loose ball to score with Brett converting. Three minutes later Douglas earned his hat-trick try, converted by Brett, then, on 71 minutes, Douglas collected the ball 10m short of the Melrose line and ran the length of the pitch tto score an unconverted try in the Church Corner. With no-side imminent Melrose took a tap penalty n the left with the ball passing right to Declan Mulcahy who scored to the right of the posts with Brett converting.
Melrose 81 Jed-Forest 21
Melrose squad – Will Ferrie, Ben McLean, Jack Dobie, Angus Runciman, Ollie Furness, Elliot Ruthven, Finlay Sinclair, Ru Campbell, Scott Clark, Roly Brett, Connor Spence, Declan Mulcahy, Corey Goldsbrough, Finn Douglas, Donald Crawford, Logan Kirk, Sam Rainey, Zen Swagrzak, Rooney Kirk, OLI Anderson, Angus Weir, Sam Derrick, Henno Bowe, Roan Frostwick, Jimmy Coull, Stuart Kirk, Matty Bertram, Callum Ramm.
Jed-Forest squad – Ryan Briggs, Michael Harshaw, Jack Taylor, Garry Young, Shane Kellett, Charlie Lewis, Zander Mactaggart, Finlay Scott, Robbie Douglas, Aaron Weatherhead, Louie Reid, Mark Glen, Gregor YOUNG, Matthew Beaton, Matthew Palmer, Paulo Ferreira, Nathan Chisholm, Kieran Scott, Dylan Riddell, Robbie Davidson, Finn Purves, Robbie Shirra-Gibb, Louis Devlin.
Referee – Sam O’Neil. Asssistants – Davie Jamieson & George Downie.
