Burrows makes flying start for Maroons

GOLDEN Tickets were the order of the day on Saturday on the new Borders Railway, and many supporters on the trains from the new stations at Galashiels and Tweedbank were back in time to support their teams in the Gala versus Hawick derby at Netherdale.
Gala may not have produced a gold-medal performance, but ended up on the winners’ rostrum in a nail-biting, tense encounter.
The Maroons ended a run of barren success against their opponents to gain their first win out of four in a gruelling contest in which the home side’s more clinical play provided the main difference between the sides.
It was always going to be a close contest, in which Gala built up the biggest head of steam to knock their opponents into the proverbial siding, and they won the try-count 2-1 in a bruising match which typified a true Borders derby.

Referee Sam Grove-White handed out five yellow cards, Craig Borthwick, Ruari Howarth and Richard Todd (Gala) and Hawick’s Craig Charters and Wullie Blacklock.
But the home coach, George Graham, was delighted to make it two league wins out of two and leave Hawick with a solitary bonus point. “It was not the best game between the clubs, but they are always hard fought and I am just glad we came out on top,” he said.
“We looked dangerous when we had the ball, but we just could not keep hold of it. At the end of the day and you play badly and win, it can’t be better than that. You have to try and win your home games and pick up others away from home. We still have a lot to work on.”
Bruce McNeil, the Hawick captain, who saw his side lose its second game in a row against Borders opposition, added: “We have to be happy with the bonus point. Gala are a clinical side and pounced on any errors we made, but it was an improvement on our game against Melrose. Hawick took an early lead through Lee Armstrong, but Gala led 10-3 at the interval with a David O’Hagan penalty and O’Hagan interception try which he also converted.
The visitors were level just after the interval when Armstrong converted Keith Davies’ try. 
Gala started to dominate and a try from new New Zealand player, Dwayne Burrows, who got a 'start’ due to a training injury to Craig Robertson, sealed the game although the home side had to bravely defend the final five minutes of injury time to keep its’ line intact.
Gala: R. Howarth; G. Speirs, R. Jeffrey, A. Emond, D. Burrows; D. O’ Hagan, G. Graham; L. Pettie, M. Carryer, C. Keen, C. Borthwick, C. Rowlandson, C. Weir, L. Scott, K. Mein. Replacements: R. Todd, S. Cairns, O. Palepoi, C. Dods, K. Young.
Hawick: L. Armstrong; N. Walker, J. Coutts, W. Griebenhow, C. Russell;; R. Hutton, C. Cottrell; S. Muir, R. Graham, N. Little, C. Charters, F. Finlayson, B. McNeil, R. Scott, K. Davies. Replacements: L. Gibson, W. Blacklock, S. Graham, S. Goodfellow, N. Renwick.