Melrose 21-37 Dundee HSFP

Published on 24/02/2013 02:26

DUNDEE gave coach Ian Rankin the perfect send-off before he retires with a thrilling win over the Scottish champions, writes Atholl Innes at the Greenyards.

Dundee got off to the perfect start when Richie Hawkins charged through the middle and chipped ahead to beat Fraser Thomson to the touchdown. Jack Steele converted.

Dundee kept up the tempo, and after Andrew McLean had split the home defence, the ball was recycled for Harry Duthie to hold off two weak tackles and score with Steele converting. Steele then extended the lead with a penalty.

Dundee were rocked ten minutes from the interval when Thomson won the race to Bruce Dick’s chip and Richard Mill converted.

Dundee were not to be denied early in the second half, and from a scrum, Richie McIver dived over, and five minutes later, Duthie broke through for his second score and Steele kicked both conversions.

It was one-way traffic as Steele kicked two penalties. Gary Holborn and Andrew Skeen gave Melrose a lifeline with tries and Skeen converted, but that was as close as they got.