Melrose win keeps them at the top – Jed lose unbeaten record



A sparkling second half performance including a hat-trick by winger Ross McCann saw Melrose overwhelm Boroughmuir by 45-12 at Meggetland to stay top of the BT Premiership table on 40 points. When Hawick leaked 78 points at Glasgow Hawks last month it was a result which shocked many, but Hawks inflicted more misery on another Borders team yesterday when they smashed Gala 50-24 at Anniesland. Their game next Saturday at The Greenyards against Melrose will be well anticipated as they try and beat all three Borders clubs in the same season, but Melrose beat them on their own patch earlier in the season and will be aiming for a double.  Hawick stay bottom of the table with a 43-30 win at Mansfield Park although the Greens did claim a losing bonus point. Watch highlights here. Watch TV report here.

In the much anticipated top of the table clash in BT National 1, Marr retained their unbeaten home record stretching back to February 2015 by beating Jedforest – unbeaten this season – 26-19. The fact that Jed managed a losing bonus point was all the more surprising as they found themselves down to 14 men after just four minutes when Jack Sudlow received a straight red card for a tip tackle on Marr’s Tom Steven. Playing against Marr with 15 men on their home patch is hard enough but nearly impossible with 14 for virtually the whole of the game, however they did lead 13-6 at the interval.  Two converted tries in two minutes saw Marr turn a 10-point deficit into a four point lead, which they held to the end.  Jed drop from 1st to 3rd while Selkirk move up to 5th spot after their win at home to Howe of Fife 36-31.

In BT NL2 Kelso won at Whitecraigs 47-19 but Peebles lost 10-6 at table-toppers Cartha Queens Park. St Boswells got back to winning ways with a comfortable 65-14 victory at Greenock in the 3rd Division.

In the East Leagues there were wins for Duns in Division 1 and Hawick Linden in the second division.