Melrose 14

Gala 26

David Morrison

at The Greenyards

DESPITE all the changes to club rugby this season, going by the bumper crowd at the Greenyards on Boxing Day it's the appeal of Border derbies that still has the biggest attraction.

And few would have left the ground on Thursday feeling less than satisfied with their day's sport.

It was Gala who deservedly claimed the Waverley Cup after scoring four tries to the home team's two.

Maroons captain Euan Dods said: "Going toe to toe with Melrose is always good, especially when you win."

It was Gala who got off to a terrific start with Dean Keddie's accurate cross-field kick falling into the arms of Fergus Johnston, and the flying winger despatched the ball to Ruari Howarth to race in for the score.

But it only took the hosts seven or eight minutes before they were back on level terms.

A charged down clearance led to several drives at the line before Will Owen finally powered his way over beneath the posts.

There was a touch of controversy about Gala's next score.

Although Ben Gill did exceptionally well to take his two tacklers with him over the line, there were several appeals about the ball being grounded in the corner.

There was no doubt about the validity of Gala's third try just before half time as Dods drove over from five or six metres out.

Gala went in at half time with a 19-7 lead.

But Melrose were quick to bring themselves back into the game with perhaps the try of the match.

Eye-catching handling through the backs allowed Aidan Cross to race in at the corner.

Kieran Clark's conversion from the touchline reduced the deficit to just five points with a good half hour to go.

The revival was cut short with 11 minutes remaining on the clock as Howarth took an unstoppable angle to race into the line and burst through the defence for his second score of the game.

Fairburn added the third conversion of the afternoon for the final score of 26-14.

Melrose: K Clark, A Spencer, D Colvine, C Smit, A Cross, C Townsend, Dg Crawford, R Lindsay, A Bradfield, C Fairbairn, G Lindsay, T Brown, J Dobie, B McLean & J Fairley. Reps. L Kirk, W Owen, C Russell, C Folan, E McVicker, Don Crawford & G McWilliam.

Gala: R Howarth, F Johnston, B Gill, A Mitchell, D Nicholson, D Keddie, M Amos, C Dods, A Dun, J Irvine, C Roman, R Irvine, M Christie, J Chambers & K Scott. Reps. M Tamosaitis, L Scott, D Kerr, J Murray, G McRum, M Cullen & S Fairburn.