Gala 55

Hamilton Bulls 40

David Morrison at Netherdale

THE pre-season expectation and nerves were evident among the home crowd ahead of kick off on Saturday.

But the home support were treated a feast of rugby and try-scoring that can only bode well for the rest of the campaign.

Hamilton may be the league's new boys but they arrived in the Borders with a skip in their step.

And they showed early on in this match that they won't be making up the League One numbers this season.

A cross-field kick inside the opening six minutes allowed Ben Plant to run in the opening try for the visitors.

Gala needed an immediate response and they got one through Graham Speirs.

The full back burst through midfield to cross over out wide.

From deep in their own half Gala took the lead with a well-worked try from Ross Cooke.

Dean Keddie added the extras for a 12-7 advantage.

Keddie kept the scoreboard ticking over with his own converted try just a few minutes later.

Approaching the half hour Gala ran in the bonus point try after Cameron Pate charged over from a five-metre line out.

Sustained pressure on the visitors line eventually paid off with Speirs racing in for his second score of the afternoon.

And Gala moved into easy street just a few minutes later as some powerful drives led to a push over try. Keddie converted for a scoreline of 36-7.

And there was still time for a further seven points before the break as the home crowd were treated to some more encouraging inter-play between the backs.

Hamilton responded just before the interval with McCowan finishing off a breakaway.

But at 43-14 down there seemed little chance of any sort of comeback.

An Inglis try approaching 45 minutes must have given the travelling support some slim hopes of a revival.

But only a tad of misfortune prevented Gala extending the lead as the ball slipped from Aidan Turner's grasp as he dived for the line.

Gala's defence was being tested more and more, and Kieran Brown's yellow card encouraged the Lanarkshire side further.

Hamilton narrowed the gap through Inglis to bring the score to 43-28 with 16 minutes remaining.

But Gala showed their metal to respond once more with Alan Emond barging his way over.

Keddie's conversion took the Maroons up to the half century.

Hamilton never gave up and were rewarded with two tries in the closing stages.

But Gala still had the last word as Cooke charged over to make the final score 55-40.

Gala: G Speirs, R Cooke, R Jeffrey, A Emond, A Turner, D Keddie, G Hamilton; C Keen, R Tod, M Christie, C Weir, C Pate, J Irvine, K Brown & S Cairns. Reps; K Scott, L Scott, J Watson, S Fairburn & S Patterson.