Melrose 29 - 23 Edinburgh Accies: Melrose breathe new life into title bid against battling Accies

THE teams are separated by almost the length of Premiership 1 and the result left Edinburgh Accies facing Premiership 2 sides and a battle for a top-10 place next season.

However Accies, boosted by the inclusion of pro players Andrew Kelly and Lewis Niven, defied the odds with a battling performance that again threatened to derail the champions.

“It was good to have these guys involved as they are Accies boys,” said coach Simon Cross. “We also had Jamie Farmdale, who is only 17. It is a hard place to come and get a result and we also gifted Melrose two tries. This is a young team and makes me feel optimistic.”

The result rekindled Melrose’s title hopes with the crunch game against leaders Gala at Netherdale now less than a week away. “We kept letting Accies back into the game,” said captain Graeme Dodds, who missed the defeat at Stirling. “We were totally focussed on this match and told by (coach) Craig Chalmers not to think about the Gala game. I think that we made it difficult for ourselves and we showed dogged defence at the end.”

Melrose, who led 17-13 at half-time through tries by Allan Dodds, Glasgow Warrior Scott Wight and Nick Beavon, added the bonus point through the Graeme Dodds double while Wight and Andrew Skeen were successful with only two kicks.

Accies scored a double thanks to Jamie Sole and Jake Knight while Ruairidh and Euan Bonner shared the goal points. The final point earned Accies a losing bonus point, well deserved for a brave performance.

Scorers: Melrose. Tries: G Dodds (2), A Dodds, S Wight, N Beavon. Cons: Wight, A Skeen.

Edinburgh Accies: Tries: J Sole, J Knight. Cons: R Bonner, E Bonner. Pens: R Bonner (2), E Bonner.

Melrose: F Thomson; A Dodds. J Murray, C Murray, J Helps; S Wight, S McCormick; C Keen, A Walker, N Beavon, G Elder, R Miller, S Johnson, G Dodds, G Runciman. Subs: R Ferguson, R McLeod, R Ovens, A Skeen, B Dick.

Edinburgh Accies: J Sole; J Farmdale, P Suiter, I Berthinussen, J Knight; R Bonner, M Campbell; D Morrison, A Kelly, L Niven, G Campbell, R Snape, D Teague, A Lamb, T Stuart. Replacements: M Liness, K Blyth, T Drennan, J Taggart, E Bonner.

Referee: A McMenemy.