Heriot’s 17

Melrose 17

Atholl Innes at Goldenacre

IF Melrose do go on and retain the Premiership, they will look back at a titanic struggle and a crucial draw at Goldenacre that produced little rugby from these sides which are currently second and fourth in the table.

Melrose coach Rob Chrystie described it as a bizarre game, refereed by Calum Howard of the RFU, packed full of incident but little quality.

The outcome was three penalty tries, the last in the 86th minute, an interception try, which saw Heriot’s lead with minutes to play, and a series of injuries, the worst of which was a dislocated elbow to Melrose skipper Craig Jackson.

Add on two yellow cards to Iain Wilson and Neil Irvine-Hess, the players taken off the field when Jackson was injured and a host of mistakes from either side – then a draw was probably the correct result.

“It was completely bizarre for all the wrong reasons,” said Chrystie.

“I do not think that the players even knew where they stood in the game.

“From a positive view, we managed the second half a lot better. It was not nice to see the injury (to Jackson), but it gave young boys like Andrew Jardine a chance, and in the scheme of things it will stand us in good stead.

“There have been far better teams come up to Heriot’s and left with nothing, and I think that we were worth the draw. But we will take it and great ready for Currie next.”

After early Melrose pressure, Heriot’s forwards took control and went ahead with a penalty try in seven minutes.

Worse followed for the visitors when Stuart Edwards dropped a goal for a 10-0 lead.

The game stuttered along until Melrose cut the gap with a penalty try to be followed by Wilson and Irvine-Hess being sent to the sin-bin.

On the stroke of half-time, Jason Baggott levelled the scores with a penalty for the teams to turn round at 10-10.

Neither side looked like scoring with defences on top after the break, but with four minutes left, a slack pass from Baggott was collected by Rob Kay, who raced away for a score and Ross Jones converted.

Melrose were facing defeat in the face until a penalty to the corner produced a drive and the third penalty try of the day after the referee said Heriot’s had brought down the maul – and the whistler had time only to blow the final whistle.

Melrose: F. Thomson; G. Wood, P. Anderson, C. Jackson, M. Muelace-Julyan; J. Baggott, M. McAndrew; Shiels, R. Anderson, C. Young, N. Irvine-Hess, C. Young, A. Runciman, P. Eccles, G. Runciman, I. Moody. Replacements: F. Scott, R. McLeod, T. Brown, B. Colvine, A. Jardine.