Melrose 46

Watsonians 41

Eilidh Walker at The Greenyards

MELROSE survived a second-half fight back from visitors Watsonians to clinch a bonus-point win in a 13-try thriller at the Greenyards on Saturday.

And it was fitting that they were cheered on by the Championship winning squad from 1966-67 who were holding a reunion in the clubrooms.

Melrose came into this match top of the premiership with a game in hand as last week’s match at Stirling County fell victim to the weather.

But it was Watsonians that were first on the score sheet as fly-half Andrew Chalmers scored a penalty after Nick Beavon was penalised for being offside two minutes into the match.

Captain Grant Runciman got the first try of the day for Melrose when he crossed the whitewash just two minutes later, thanks in part to Iain Moody who gained significant yards.

Craig Jackson slotted the conversion to regain the lead 7-3.

Despite an early scare from Watsonians, a clinical approach in the breakdown from Melrose saw them score again.

With just seven minutes played winger Ross McCann sent Fraser Thomson over for his first of the match, reminding visitors why they have become part of one of the most dangerous back lines in the league.

Jackson missed the conversion allowing Melrose to hold the lead at 12-3.

The sides exchanged penalties, through Jackson and Chalmers, to take the score to 15-6.

The Melrose lineout was bolstered by Edinburgh pro, second row Anton Bresler as Neil Irvine-Hess remains out injured.

Melrose secured the bonus point before half-time with wingers Ross McCann and Sam Pecqueur both adding tries thanks to support from George Taylor and Austin Lockington. Jackson added the conversions to take the score to a seemingly insurmountable 29-6.

However Watsonians came thundering back into the game scoring three tries in just ten minutes through Edinburgh back row Viliami Fihaki, Rory Steele and Scott McLeod.

Andrew Chalmers kicked one conversion to get back within range at 29-23.

After the break Melrose took just three minutes to score as George Taylor sent Thomson over for his second try. Taylor scored the conversion having taken over kicking duties from an injured Jackson.

With 15 minutes left on the clock Watsons continued to challenge with Fihaki scoring a second try. Chalmers missed the conversion 36-28.

Following a successful penalty attempt from Chalmers, a rolling maul from Melrose sent Nick Beavon over for a try closely followed by Peter Eccles who capitalised on a break from Jamie Bhatti to cross for the seventh and final Melrose try - neither were converted leaving the score 46-31.

Watsons rounded off the scoring with two further tries from scrum-half Reiss Cullen and Rory Steele to take the final score to 46-41 and securing the visitors two bonus points.

Melrose Head Coach, Rob Chrystie said: “We’re obviously happy to get the five points and we played some really good stuff in attack but we really need to work on our defence.

“We picked up a lot of injuries but I was really pleased with how the boys played out of position but slotted in really nicely. That’s testament to them because that is a really hard test at this level.”

Melrose: Fraser Thomson, Ross McCann, Austin Lockington, George Taylor, Sam Pecqueur, Craig Jackson, Murdo McAndrew, Jamie Bhatti, Russell Anderson, Nick Beavon, James Head, Anton Bresler, Ruaridh Knott, Grant Runciman & Iain Moody. Replacements: Richard Ferguson, Ruairi McLeod, Peter Eccles, Struan Hutchison, Gavin Wood