Melrose 42

Currie 15

Atholl Innes

at The Greenyards

MELROSE laid down yet another marker for what promises to be a dramatic end to the season with an emphatic victory on Saturday at The Greenyards.

For the second week in a row, they demoralised their visitors in the Premiership play-off to set up another clash with Ayr following their march to the cup final, where they will play the same opponents.

Melrose have struck gold with their own sevens, the Kings of the Sevens, and the Border League final still to follow, and coach Robert Chrystie knows he has to ‘manage’ the players at the business-end of a long campaign.

The hosts got their tactics right, dominating up front and leaving the visitors shell-shocked as early as the 17th minute with tries master-minded by the forwards.

Chrystie admitted: “We knew that it would be a tough game.

"A lot of the preparation had been done. We put a plan together and the boys executed it very well.

“If you give the opposition a sniff, it becomes really difficult and we reacted to the game against Stirling a week earlier.

“We could really have put them to bed in the first half and we did not quite get over the line.

“It was a little different to the style we have seen in the past few weeks, and decided to try and put a wee marker early doors.

“It was a good performance and the place is buzzing. We do not sit back. We are not really concerned at what other people do. We will continue what we are doing and it will be a cracker of a game against Ayr.”

Ross Weston, who was playing his final match for Currie after 12 seasons at Malleny Park, said: “It was disappointing to lose and not get a result, but Melrose played really well. They blew us away in the first half and we were always chasing the game after that. They were more clinical and have strengths all over the park.”

Melrose responded quickly to Jamie Forbes’ early penalty with a quick drive and try from Ruairdh Knott and a brace of scores from Nyle Godsmark.

Austin Lockington’s score put the contest out of touch midway through the second half before tries by Weston and Robbie Nelson, the first converted by Forbes, were mere consolation.

Ally Grieve notched the final score, Jason Baggot completing the contest with his third penalty to add to his four conversions.

Melrose: F. Thomson; A. Lockington, N. Godsmark, G. Taylor, S. Pecquer; J. Baggot, M. McAndrew; J. Bhatti, R. Anderson, R. McLeod, J. Head, R. Knott, N. Irvine-Hess, G. Runciman, I. Moody. Replacements: C. MacKay, D. Elkington, N. Beavon, A. Grieve, P. Eccles, B. Colvine, C. Jackson.