With a good number of usual scorers absent for a variety of reasons this was always going to be a tough day for Team Borders and fingers were crossed that no mishap would befall the three available U17 Men who topped their League going into their 5.4km race.

As it was, the Gala trio of Thomas Otton, who had an excellent run for 2nd place in 19.13, Gavin Bryson (4th 19.23) and Jason McIntosh (15th 20.55) brought home the bacon with a one point win on the day.

They duly lifted the G K Aithie Shield for the third time in four years with a comfortable 26 point winning margin in the final league placings ahead of Fife.

That old adage “you’ve got to be in it to win it” was brought to mind when the U13 Boys league title also came the way of Team Borders.

Trailing Edinburgh by 10 points after the first two legs, there seemed little chance of the deficit being clawed back with this age-group being one of those most hit by absentees.

But despite Team Borders only finishing 5th team on the day over the 2.7km course, Edinburgh’s automatic 100 point penalty for failing to field a third scoring runner saw the Borders boys clinch a surprising overall season win by 27 points ahead of Corstorphine and Pitreavie.

They therefore retained the Teribus Trophy (originally donated by Teviotdale Harriers).

The crucial scorers on the day were the strong finishing Ethan Elder (Moorfoot, 13th in 11.10), George Godfrey-Fausett (Gala, 19th in 11.22) and Harry Fuller (Chirnside, 22nd in 11.36).

The Under 13 Girls finished 3rd on the day courtesy of Beth Hobbs (Moorfoot, 6th in 11.28), Elena McGorum (Moorfoot, 12th in 11.46) and Rhiannon Fagan (Gala, 13th in 11.47) and that was enough to retain clear 2nd place overall behind League winners Edinburgh.

Also 3rd on the day and overall were the U11 Girls racing over 1.4km. Megan Hobbs (Moorfoot) had an improved run for 10th in 6.25 with team-mate Madeline Collins (14th in 6.33) and Gala’s Harriet Woodland-Broome (12th in 6.28) the other scorers.

Another successful winter season for Team Borders with 13 out of a possible 28 age-group league titles bagged in the four seasons since the composite team was formed for the East League.