HAWICK coach Nikki Walker watched from the touchline and brimmed with confidence as his side swept to victory in the final on Saturday of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill Langholm Sevens at Milntown where his team scored a late try to lift the cup with a 24-19 win over rivals Gala.

HAWICK coach Nikki Walker watched from the touchline and brimmed with confidence as his side swept to victory in the final on Saturday of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill Langholm Sevens at Milntown where his team scored a late try to lift the cup with a 24-19 win over rivals Gala.

Maybe Walker would have preferred to have lifted the BT Cup a week earlier, but in the terms of his first season at Mansfield, the win cemented a Booker Border League success and allowed the players to eye up a possible AM/PM Kings of Sevens success.

It was a victory well deserved against a Gala side, which included Fraser and Gregor Hunter, who won the Melrose Sevens with Glasgow Warriors, as the club tried to put the disappointment of the Premiership behind them.

Even coach George Graham, who takes a back seat at the sevens following the league campaign, was there to add his support. But, despite his side leading 19-12 at one time, he saw Lee Armstrong run in for the last score in a final marred by injury.

The Maroons brought on Tom Wilson for Alan Emond after Fraser Hunter had to hobble of the park to be replaced by Graham Speirs.

On a sunny afternoon, Gala and Hawick each produced some exhilarating rugby, with Hawick winning the trophy for the first time since 2012.

The Archie Smith Memorial Trophy for the Player of the Tournament was not surprisingly won by Armstrong.

Gala raced into an early lead with a try and conversion from David O’Hagan. But Hawick battled hard with excellent cover work, and turned round 12-7 ahead with tries from John Coutts and Armstrong.

James Parker and George Graham put Gala in the driving seat before John Coutts raced away for a try to level the scores.

But Armstrong clinched success with a try deep into injury time to give Hawick their first success on the sevens circuit this season.

In the first of the semi-finals, Gala, who had failed to lose a point in the opening two rounds, were pushed by Melrose while Hawick produced the surprise of the event with a 24-19 victory over Jed-Forest. A late score and conversion from Rory Hutton added to Armstrong’s double ended Jed’s challenge Orkney warmed up for its own tournament with a heavy defeat by Selkirk, who in turn lost to Melrose.

But this was Hawick’s day and former stalwarts, Jim Renwick and Terence Froud, were there to join in the celebrations.

Results - First round: Kelso 35, Edinburgh Accies 0; Pigbarians 0, Gala 43; Peebles 7, Melrose 24; Orkney 6, Selkirk 26; President’s V11 24, Select V11 31; Dumfries 12, Hawick 31; Jed-Forest 26, Watsonians 10; Berwick 17, Langholm 22.

Second round: Kelso 0, Gala 39; Melrose 26, Selkirk 21; Select V11 7, Hawick 53; Jed-Forest 34, Langholm 10.

Semi-finals: Gala 26, Melrose 10; Hawick 24, Jed-Forest 19. Final: Gala 19, Hawick 24.

Hawick: R. Scott, K. Davies, M. Robertson, G. Cottrell, R. Hutton, J. Coutts, L. Armstrong, S. Fairbairn, S. Goodfellow, M. Douglas.

Gala: A. Emond, G. Graham, S. Wilkinson, C. Dods, G. Hunter, G. Speirs, J, Parker, C. Robertson (T. Wilson final), D. O’Hagan.