Melrose 14-15 Gala
It was a case of winner takes all at The Greenyards as Gala continued their impressive unbeaten record on the road at Melrose, winning the game by the narrowest of margins, and avenging the defeat (also by a point) at home to Melrose earlier in the season. They did it the hard way by coming from 8-0 down playing into a fierce gale to get over the winning line.

Andrew Skeen put Melrose ahead on four minutes with a penalty and Allan Dodds went over for a try after 25 when Fraser Thomson's break put him away for his eighth try of the season.  Three minutes to the break Craig Robertson nipped in for a try converted by Lee Millar then Shaun Law raced 50 metres before giving the scoring pass to George Graham. Watch both tries here.

Enjoying the wind advantage and a 12-8 lead going into the second half it was looking good for Gala but Melrose didn't give up and two penalties from Skeen put the home side in front. 10 minutes from the end a Lee Millar penalty in front of the posts was decisive and the excellent Gala defence held out for a memorable win which not only knocks Melrose out of the Border League and Cup, but enabled Gala to regain the Waverley Cup and Bill McLaren Shield.

Gala have to beat Langholm next Monday in their last Border League (and Langholm's first) match and without being disrespectful to Langholm it would be a miracle if there was an upset there. In the other game played on Boxing Day, for the Skelly Cup, Border League and RBS Cup, Hawick beat Jedforest 39-3 with a six try haul and now top Pool B of the Booker Border League.