Show of strength from dominant Melrose

● Coach Chrystie says a healthy competition for places is driving up club’s standards

This was billed at the start of the season as a clash of the titans between the two clubs most likely to be battling it out for the Premiership title come April time. It ended up as little more than a routine pit-stop for Melrose in which they consolidated their position at the top of the table by halftime. Meanwhile, last year’s champions Ayr were left asking themselves a raft of difficult questions about whether their current squad has what it takes to be serious contenders this time round.

The bonus point picked up before the break means that Melrose edged one point clear of Currie Chieftains, who are also undefeated after three rounds of matches but couldn’t manage four tries against Boroughmuir on Saturday, and, while head coach Rob Chrystie was understandably anxious about keeping a lid on soaring expectations, he did suggest that there is more to come from his team.

“There is competition for places throughout the squad and that’s definitely helping drive standards up. The Storm [2nd XV] had a good win this week as well and there are boys coming back from injury, so that’s going to keep the pressure on the players in the team,” he said.

0 Melrose right-wing Ross Mccann, left, celebrates one of his two tries before half-time.

“Our focus is going to be on ourselves and making sure we are as good as we can be – and that’s really as complicated as it gets. We are working really hard Tuesday and Thursday and the boys do a lot of work off the pitch as well – they are really hungry to do well.”

Melrose set the tone in the fourth minute when hooker Russell Anderson grounded the ball over the line at the conclusion of a powerful lineout drive. Left-wing Sam Pecqueur nipped over for try number two eight minutes later, and two tries in six minutes just before halftime from right-wing Ross Mccann removed any doubt about the destination of the league points.

Ayr managed a try from fullback Grant Anderson just before the change of ends, and they actually won the second half 7-3 thanks to a penalty try awarded when Melrose prop Ruairi Mcleod dropped the ball near his own line, but they didn’t at any point look like making real inroads into that first-half deficit. There is no time for the men from the west to feel sorry for themselves because they have just seven days to regroup and prepare for another tough mission against the Chieftains at Malleny Park this coming Saturday.

“It is a long season but that’s two games in a row now, so the big thing for us is that we need to stick together as a group. It is going to be us that fixes it as a coaching team and as a squad of players,” said head coach Calum Forrester.

HAWICK MARR

GLASGOW HAWKS 19 23

Marr proved on Saturday that the newcomers to the BT Premiership are not there to make up the numbers and sent Hawick to their third successive defeat, writes Atholl Innes.

Coach Craig Redpath admitted it had been a nerve-wracking finale as Hawick fought back from a 20-0 half-time deficit to within one point with 14 minutes left to play.

“I am absolutely happy with the win,” he said. “We have to be competitive every week, and to beat Hawick at Mansfield Park is tremendous. We played pretty well in the first half and I knew Hawick would come back at us. They gained the momentum with their first try and then scored again.”

But Marr held their nerve, played the tactics to perfection in the final minutes, kept the ball tight through the forwards

26 29

Heriot’s posted their first BT Premiership win of the season – and with a bonus point too, writes Matt Vallance.

Again, they blew hot and cold but this time they carried things through, leaving coach Phil Smith to say: “This will give them confidence for the next couple of games.”

Conversely, you have to feel for Andy Hill, deputising for coaching duo Fin Gillies and Andrew Douglas – the best man and groom at the latter’s wedding. Hill said: “We let ourselves down. Two losing bonus points at home is a poor return, we didn’t look after the ball well enough.” and won the penalty, kicked by Colin Sturgeon, deep into injury time to secure their second win in a row.

Hawick coach Darren Cunningham said: “I am very disappointed with the result. We started with a bad 40 minutes and the second half was a lot better, but it was not brilliant.”

The hosts struggled in the first half after two penalty goals from Sturgeon gave Marr the lead. Hawick had opportunities to score, but tries by Richard Dalgleish and Greg Jackson, converted by Sturgeon and Dougie Steele, ensured a half-time lead, and this despite Marr being handed out three yellow cards.

Hawick took time to gain the initiative after the break before three tries in 12 minutes from Lewis Ferguson, Kyle Brunton and Tom Brown, two converted by Ali Weir, ensured a close finish. Marr held on to follow up their win at Heriot’s and gain revenge for a cup defeat at the same ground last season.

The match turned on a series of close-range scrums on the Heriot’s line in the second half. Hawks were in the ascendancy but kept mucking things up and the visitors escaped to turn a 26-15 interval deficit into victory.

Paddy Boyer, Cammy Fenton, Grant Stewart and Bobby Beattie got Hawks’ tries, with Jack Steele converting three of them.

Skipper Rory Carmichael, Michael Liness, Adam Sinclair and replacement Craig Robertson crossed for Heriot’s, with Ross Jones adding three conversions and a penalty goal.

With yellow cards for Andy Linton and Michael Bouab, plus a spell of unopposed scrums, the good crowd certainly were not short-changed in entertainment terms.