Published: Wednesday, 19th March, 2008 11:00
Defence the key in Melrose cup win
By Atholl Innes at The Greenyards
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Richard Higgins gets the ball away for Melrose - and not a Boroughmuir player in sight.
Pic by: Douglas Hardie, Bordernet
Melrose 16 v Boroughmuir 0
A DEFENSIVE operation of Herculean proportions ensured it was Melrose who advanced to the last eight of the Scottish Hydro Electric Cup in a pulsating match on a perfect day for rugby.
It was a remarkable match, the proverbial game of two halves, but nothing to do with the weather conditions.
In fact, there was scarcely a breath of wind.
Trailing 0-16 at the break, Boroughmuir encamped close to, or on, the home line for the first 25 minutes of the second half, but the Melrose cover was expansive and the tackling ferocious.
As the game entered the final phase, the visitors became more frustrated and Melrose held on, if not comfortably, to add the scalp of the league champions to that of the cup holders, Glasgow Hawks, in the previous round.
Coach Craig Chalmers, not known for handing out lots of plaudits, could not contain his satisfaction. “It was a fantastic performance. I have never seen a Melrose team defend like that before.
“Boroughmuir are a very good side and we knew that they would cone back at us in the second half. They have scored a lot of points this season, and for us not to concede, was a tremendous achievement. That was a huge hurdle for us.”
Boroughmuir were hampered by an injury to Rory Couper, who had to leave the field after eight minutes. Elgan O’Donnell also missed two kicks at goal and passed up other penalty opportunities to cut into the Melrose lead by opting to kick for the corner.
In contrast, Scott Wight converted David Whiteford’s try, kicked two penalties and dropped a goal.
The try was manufactured deep in the Boroughmuir half after O’Donnell’s first penalty miss. Melrose cashed on the drop-out, Jordan Macey’s pace and balance on the touchline kept the ball in play, and his kick ahead was gathered by the Melrose winger for the score.
Wight had earlier kicked his two penalties and then dropped a goal 10 minutes from half-time.
Boroughmuir battered away in the second half, but it was Melrose, in a rare breakaway, who almost touched down again, William Wallace losing the ball on the line - and then Angus Martyn was stopped by a last-ditch tackle at the other end.
Chalmers added: “We worked really hard at training on our defence and I reckon we made more than 200 tackles, which is a testament to our fitness levels.”
Yet for the first half, Boroughmuir were not at the races.
Wight kicked his side ahead after the visitors were caught offside in four minutes, and the closest Boroughmuir came to a score was when Greg Cottrell broke only to be dumped by a huge tackle from John Dalziel.
Wight stretched the Melrose lead for illegal use of the boot, and one felt it was not to be Boroughmuir’s day when O’Donnell had his first miss.
Another miss two minutes later proved crucial. Melrose moved the ball quickly from the drop-out, Ross Miller made the break, Macey chased the ball and the Aussie kept it in touch to kick ahead and Whiteford won the chase for the try and Wight converted.
Wight then dropped a goal to stretch the Melrose lead to 16-0.
The second half was remarkable. It was the biggest test of the Melrose defence of the season; the pressure was unrelenting; and the home line survived.
O’Donnell missed an easy penalty in front of the posts with 10 minutes left, and it was Melrose who should have scored when Wallace dropped the ball over the line.
And the manner in which the Melrose players celebrated at the end was an indication of their delight at one of their best performances of the season.
Melrose: J. Macey; C. Anderson, J. Murray, G. Stewart, D. Whiteford; S. Wight and S. McCormick; K. Cooney, W. Mitchell, R. Higgins, G. Dodds, S. Johnson, B. Wallace, R. Miller, J. Dalziel. Subs used: G. Innes, N. Beavon.
Boroughmuir: S. Ruddick; C. Keenan, M. Clapperton, E. O’Donnell, R. Couper; G. Cottrell, C. Cusiter; F. Lait, S. Crombie, C. Ward, F. Pringle, G. McCallum, O. Brown, A. Martyn, B. Fisher. Subs used: C. Costigan, E. Matheson, J. White.
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Tough one to call, admits Melrose captain