Peebles 8

Hawick 17

IF ever there was an advert for summer rugby this was it.

The players were virtually unrecognisable, covered as they were in mud well before the end of the game.

The evening was cold, wet and miserable and the paying spectators were sparse in number.

However well done all of the players for putting on an enjoyable sporting Friday night in this Border League game a The Gytes.

The game began at speed.

Two of the three Anderson brothers playing for Peebles, namely Callum and David, combined well in the opening minutes to take play into he Hawick 22, where unfortunately the lineout was lost and Hawick cleared their lines.

It was the Hawick team's turn to attack and their centre Grant Huggan made a nice break to the Peebles 22 before he off loaded to prop Terry Skeet up in support.

This resulted in a scrum five metres from the Peebles line.

Now, unlike internationals the ball is put into scrums at this level straight.

Hawick won the scrum and their No 8 picked up and drove for the line but he was well tackled by Richard Harrison and Peebles won a penalty.

Greg Raeburn cleared the danger to touch.

Peebles won the lineout and there was a good drive by Murdo Anderson before the ball was fed back to the third Anderson brother, Donald, who put in a lovely kick finding touch in the Hawick 22.

Hawick were penalised at the lineout and Raeburn opened the scoring with a penalty.

Despite the conditions, the Hawick backs were running and handling very well.

Their speed over the first 15 to 20 metres was noticeable and they looked dangerous throughout with the ball in hand.

However the Peebles defence which was tested for lengthy periods was good.

There was another difference of opinion between the forwards just on the half hour mark ,which saw one player from each side being yellow carded. However this was by no stretch of the imagination a dirty game.

These minor incidents were in rugby speech 'handbags'.

Just before half time, Hawick took the lead.

They did have pressure on the Peebles line and were awarded a penalty try when Peebles turned a Hawick scrum on the line. Lee Armstrong added the simple conversion.

In the second period the rain calmed down a little to become a constant downpour.

Once again the two teams were to be applauded for their endeavours.

It was the visitors who struck first in the half.

A Peebles pass back to Raeburn in his own 22 went astray and hit one of the posts. Raeburn picked up and made a relatively good clearance only for Hawick winger Seven Anderson to field the ball and he ran straight up the touch line before passing inside to lock forward Finlay Simpson who scored in the corner.

Hawick stretched their lead when their Russell finished of a good handling move to score far out on the left.

With only about eight mins of the game remaining Peebles scored their only try of the evening.

Hawick were robbed off the ball in the Peebles half.

The ball was dribbled into the Hawick 22 before their full back picked up and attempted a kick to touch, but Liam Daly, enjoying a good run of form charged down his kick.

He managed to control the ball and dive on it as they crossed the try line.