GALA put their disappointing Premiership performances behind them to record a 21-36 victory over current cup holders Hawick in the Booker Border League.

The result sends the Maroons top of the table alongside Melrose and Selkirk.

Hawick, who are going for their 50th Border League title, kicked off the match under the floodlights at Mansfield Park on Friday night.

And they were first to score when Sean Goodfellow touched down inside the opening minute and Neil Renwick added the conversion, 7-0.

But Gala, who before last season had won the Border League three years in a row, equalised the scores with a try from George Graham, converted by Craig Dods, 7-7.

And, then, midway through the first half, Craig Dods put the visitors ahead with a try of his own, which he also converted, 7-14.

Luke Pettie extended the Maroons lead with their third try in the 27th minute as the Gala forwards began to take a grip of the game. Dods added the conversion to make it 7-21.

Five minutes later Graham Speirs secured the bonus point with Gala's fourth try. However, it went unconverted to leave the score 7-26.

Hawick were pinned back in their own half of the field for much of the first 40 minutes. But then, deep into injury time, Lewis Anderson pulled a score back for the home side, which Neil Renwick converted, to make the score at the interval, 14-26.

A series of substitutions stemmed the flow of the game in the second half and the Mansfield Park faithful had to wait until the 72nd minute for the scoring to resume.

Kirk Ford darted through the Gala defence to touch down and Neil Renwick added the conversion to bring Hawick back to reduce the gap between the sides to five points, 21-26.

But Dean Keddie's drop goal for Gala with only a  minute of normal time remaining put the game beyond Hawick's reach, 21-29.

And Richard Todd put the game beyond doubt with a fifth try for Gala, converted by Craig Dods with the final kick of the ball. The final score read Hawick 21, Gala 36.

Hawick: Ali Weir, Lewis Anderson, Sean Chapman, Grant Huggan, Neil Renwick, Rory Hutton, Sean Goodfellow; Shawn Muir, Fraser Renwick, Jacques Stierlin, Jack McCombe, Nick Mactaggart, Ross Gibson, Sean Fairbairn, Hamish Murray. Replacements: Lindsey Gibson, Robbie Linton, Bruce Campbell, Garry Douglas, Stuart Graham, Matty Douglas, Kirk Ford.

Gala: Craig Dods, Graham Speirs, Dwayne Burrows, Alan Emond, Frankie Robson, Rex Jeffrey, George Graham; Luke Pettie Matt Carryer, Chris Keen, Chris Weir, Opeta Palepoi, Gary Adams, Euan Dods, Kris Mein. Replacements: Richard Todd, Cameron Pate, Keith Young, Dean Keddie, Josh Irvine, Stevie Cairns, Ian Ross.