Boroughmuir 28

Melrose 36

David Morrison

at Meggetland

CUP holders Melrose survived a scare in the capital of Friday night.

Rob Chrystie's team had to battle back from a six-points deficit going into the closing stages against Boroughmuir.

It had all started fairly routinely for last season's double-winning champions - a penalty to the corner led to Russell Anderson crashing over at the back of a rolling maul.

And Struan Hutchison added the conversion.

But the hosts bounced back with two Gavin Parker penalties.

With the visitors pushing for a second try Kerr Gossman made a telling interception to run the length of the pitch to touch down in the far corner.

The hosts were reduced to 14 just before the interval as Will Inglis was yellow carded - and from the resultant penalty Hutchison closed the gap to 11-10.

Despite being down in numbers Muir enjoyed their best spell of the match after the interval.

A Parker penalty extended their lead.

And, back with a full compliment, Will Wardlaw raced in for a try, which was converted by Parker.

Worse was to follow for Melrose as Murdo McAndrew was yellow carded.

But the Greenyards team still clawed their way back into the game with the tried and tested rolling maul which allowed Anderson to score his second try of the game.

Hutchison's kick made it 21-17.

But the 11-point gap was opened up once more on the hour as Jordan Edmunds scored out wide on the left and Parker converted well.

At 28-17 and with only 16 minutes remaining on the clock Melrose looked like crashing out at the first hurdle.

But a tremendous rally in the closing stages saved the day.

Iain Moody barged his way over to the reduce the gap.

Although Hutchison's conversion attempt came back off the post, Melrose were in the ascendency.

Further pressure led to a scrum five and the ball was quickly spun out for Jason Baggott to score.

Hutchison's kick took Melrose into a single point lead.

Moody scored his second of the match in the final minute from another rolling maul - and Hutchison's kick made sure it was the champions who were to progress.

Boroughmuir: C Gossman, G Parker, J Edmunds, W Wardlaw, K Gossman, G Cannie, M Johnstone, R Dunbar, J Matthews, R Montgomery, W Inglis, T Drennan, A Mncube, C Keddie, J Steele. Reps – D Marfo, D Robertson, S Smith, J Hamilton, B Renton.

Melrose: B Colvine, G Wood, P Anderson, J Baggott, I Sim, S Hutchison, M McAndrew, G Shiells, R Anderson, C Young, J Head, I Moody, N Irvine-Hess, R Darge, G Runciman. Reps: R Ferguson, R McLeod, A Runciman, D Colvine, A Jardine.

A penalty by Hutchison narrowed the gap to 11-10 at the interval, before the hosts got off to a dream start to the second half with a penalty being followed up by a converted try to make it 21-10.

Melrose got it back to 21-17 through a converted Anderson try, but with 15 minutes to go they were trailing 28-22 and in danger of falling at the first hurdle.

However, a try from Edinburgh Rugby man Baggott – converted by Hutchison – put the Borderers one point up and a converted Iain Moody effort at the death made sure of the victory.

At Meggetland, Melrose were behind at half-time and were 28-22 down heading into the final 15 minutes, but the battling qualities that won them the double in 2017-18 once again shone through.

“It was a really great cup tie, a ding-dong battle, and we knew that Boroughmuir would be right up for it because they had beaten Currie Chieftains in their last home game and were going to throw everything at us,” said Chrystie.

“They have some dangerous backs with a lot of pace and at times they caused us problems, but we have a good mix of experience and young talent in our team and the good thing about them is they seldom panic.

“After losing scores they regroup and get on with the next job and although we were down at the 65 minute mark they had belief that they could come back.

“We scored two good tries from then on to get us over the line and while the pack did some great work in this game I think what is really pleasing for me is that young players like Struan Hutchison and Gavin Wood in the backs are making themselves first team regulars and stepping up to the plate, while David Colvine also did well when he came on.”