Jed-Forest 50

Gala 24

David Morrison at Riverside Park

JED claimed the bragging rights and the vital points as they ended Gala's winning start to National League One on Saturday.

In a bruising encounter which saw several stoppages due to injuries, Jed had enough firing power to run in seven tries.

While Gala had opened brightly, forced changes throughout this derby left them exposed.

And head coach Opeta Palepoi will be hoping to have a fully recovered squad for next weekend's arrival of Musselburgh to Netherdale.

It had started well enough for the Maroons with Dean Keddie slotting a penalty before the opening try from Chris Keen.

With a 10-point advantage Gala could be excused for growing in confidence.

But it was the hosts who began to find their passes as the quarter hour arrived and Gregor Young showed great pace to dart through a gap.

Ewan Scott couldn't nail the conversion from out wide.

But he was on target just a few minutes later after Lewis Young collected a pass to race home for Jed's second try.

At 12-10 ahead the home team had their tails up.

And it wasn't long before Scott added a penalty.

Jamie Oliver's try, which was converted by Scott, gave the hosts a commanding 22-10 advantage at the break.

Gala's forced replacements on top of several key players already missing from the starting line-up had already taken its toll.

And it was Jed who continued to exploit the gaps after the interval.

Gregor Law ran in a hat-trick of tries as the home pack dominated - and Scott added all three conversions.

At 43-10 Gala did rally briefly and they were rewarded with a Cammy Pate try, which Keddie converted.

But Jed responded yet again with Law crashing over for his fourth try of the afternoon.

Scott's conversion brought the Riverside Park club up to the half century.

On an afternoon that Gala will want to forget, they did finish with a flurry and John Watson managed to ground in the closing minutes.

Jed-Forest: L Young, E Stewart, R Marshall, G Young, R Hogg, E Scott, G Munro, G Paxton, C Mackay, J Oliver, C Skeldon, G Law, D Wardrop, J Northwood & D Gillespie. Reps C Crookshanks, P Ferreira, G Taylor & C Gillon.

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