WITH the organiser’s results software playing up on Saturday, and the post-match trophy presentations postponed, there was a nervous wait for Team Borders to hear how they fared overall in the final Forth Valley League match of the season at Grangemouth.

Joint top of the league going into the match, it was a showdown between Team Borders and Dunfermline who had each won a preceding match and come second in the other.

Not only that, but in a season which proved to be highly competitive, other clubs, most notably Edinburgh and Pitreavie, would have their say in proceedings and the awarding of event and match points.

Could Team Borders retain the league title which they won for the first time in 2015?

Keeping track on the day of how the Borders athletes were doing compared to the blue vests of Dunfermline proved tricky with some A and B track races combined and field events on the go in different locations.

And across the six 4x100m relay races it looked to be very even between the two teams, one highlight of the day for Team Borders being a win in the Under 11 Boys relay when Gala’s Sam MacAneny blitzed down the home straight to overhaul a 10 metre deficit just before the line.

Chirnside’s Hannah Hamilton-Meikle is also deserving of special mention for showing true Borders grit to pick herself up after a crashing fall in the Under 13 Girls hurdles and cross the line for points, then to trot straight to the shot putt which was on at the same time, and heave the shot further than anyone else for maximum points. Not only that, but later in the day she was second in the 1500m A race. She heads to Aberdeen this coming weekend for the Scottish Pentathlon Championships.

With the organisers indicating post-match that some issues were being scrutinised, it was a nail-biting 48-hour wait before the official news came through that Team Borders had won the match and with it the 2016 Forth Valley League title. In the end their winning match total of 694.5 points gave Team Borders a 67 point margin over Edinburgh who pipped Dunfermline for second place on the day by a mere two event points.

Team co-ordinator Gregor Nicholson said: "It’s fantastic to see young athletes from across the Borders coming together and gelling as a team under the Borders banner. They, their coaches, parents and supporters have rallied to represent the Borders with great enthusiasm and retaining the league title is their just reward. I’d make special mention of our two team captains who unfortunately were denied the opportunity to receive the league trophy on the day.

"Angus Bryce and Christie Rout were competing in their last match for Team Borders having been ever-present stalwarts since we first brought the team together five years ago when they were both in the Under 11 age-group. They have proven not only to be valuable points scorers, but excellent role models for the younger athletes coming through.”

Not only did Team Borders win the overall league trophy, but they amassed most points in the two separate Track and Field categories, retaining the Track trophy and securing the Field trophy for the first time.

The two team captains, Angus Bryce and Christie Rout, can therefore look forward to receiving all three of the Forth Valley League trophies when they are presented at the Forth Valley League invitation meeting in August.

Neil Renton, Live Borders Sport Development Officer for athletics, added, “Winning the Field trophy for the first time was a real bonus and demonstrates that the Coach Development Programme introduced by the Scottish Borders Athletics Development Group has paid dividends.

"Congratulations to all athletes, coaches and parents who have been part of Team Borders.”

Final League Positions for 2016

1 Team Borders 23 match pts

2 Dunfermline 21

3 Edinburgh 17

4 Pitreavie 16

5 Corstorphine 9

6 Central 8

7 Musselburgh 8

8 Cumbernauld 6