A DULL and damp day at Netherdale on Saturday summed up Gala’s big effort to stage its sevens as Borders clubs were put to the sword by city visitors.

Edinburgh Accies, who were runners-up in 2010 and 2017, picked up the trophy for their first success on the circuit with a 21-10 win over Watsonians in the final.

The gloom didn't destroy Accies’ dominance as the side, which finished bottom of the Premiership, outplayed the favourites.

There was some Borders influence in the outcome with former Melrose player, Richard Mill, in his third season at Accies, controlling his Accies team throughout the afternoon.

And in the final he scored a try and kicked three conversions.

Mill told us: “We have a belief.

"This is a huge boost for the club, we have consistency in the squad and we want to keep it going."

The success means that Accies moved into joint first place with Melrose, who crashed out of the tournament when they lost their pool match to Boroughmuir, on 13 points in the Ned Haig Kings of the Sevens table - one point ahead of Watsonians.

Accies turned on the style in a tournament which saw three sides, Jed-Forest, Heriot’s and Musselburgh, pull out due to league commitments.

Gala failed to win a game, losing to Edinburgh Accies and Edinburgh University; Hawick were hammered by Watsonians after a win over a President’s 7; Selkirk beat a Select side before losing to St Andrews University; while Melrose defeated Kelso before Boroughmuir knocked out the Kings holders from the Greenyards.

In the final Accies led 14-10 at the break with tries from Ruari Campbell and Max Love, both converted by Mill, to tries from Lewis Berg and Scott McKean.

But Accies’ ball retention and extra pace told in the second half and a further score from Mill, who added the conversion, sealed a successful day.

Accies had earlier accounted for Gala, Edinburgh University and Boroughmuir, while Watsonians saw off the challenge of a Select side, Hawick and St Andrews University.

Results

Pool 1: Watsonians 69, President’s V11 0; Hawick 57, President’s V11 0; Hawick 10, Watsonians 31.

Pool 2: Borders Select 5, Selkirk 45; Selkirk 12, St Andrews University 19; St Andrews University 29, Borders Select 0.

Pool 3: Melrose 43, Kelso 0; Kelso 0, Boroughmuir 52; Boroughmuir 19, Melrose 12.

Pool 4: Edinburgh Accies 42, Gala 7; Edinburgh Accies 28, Edinburgh University 0; Gala 19, Edinburgh University 24.

Semi-finals: Watsonians 24, St Andrews University 0; Boroughmuir 12, Edinburgh Accies 19

Final Watsonians 10, Edinburgh Accies 21.

Watsonians: C. Scott, L. Miller, L Berg, E. Fox, A. Skeen, R. Steele, S. McKean, M. Bertram, C. Bell, L. Macpherson.

Edinburgh Accies: R. Chalmers, N. Armstrong, R. Kent, R. Campbell, R. Seydak, M. Badenhorst, J. Sole, W. Stephen, M. Love, R. Mill.