RBS Premiership Rugby: Aberdeen Grammar 25 - 34 Melrose

By JACK NIXON
Published on 30/09/2012 00:00

MELROSE returned to winning ways with a narrow, but gritty victory, writes Jack Nixon at Rubislaw.

“We’re back in the title mix,” said Craig Chalmers, the Greenyards coach, who must have been relieved to see his charges come from behind in the last quarter.

Trailing 25-20, the Borderers showed great character, scoring two late converted tries to deny the home side even a losing bonus point.

Two tries for scrum-half Bruce Colvine seemed to have put the visitors on easy street, to which Colvine added two conversions and two penalties in the first 20 minutes.

In reply, all the home side had to show in the same period was a lone penalty from stand-off Alex Hagart.

Grammar fought back with two scores before the break through flanker Tony McGinness and lock Stuart Smith and with Hagart kicking one conversion, it was game on at 20-15 at the interval.

When Hagart ran through the Rose defence three minutes into the second half it looked as though the home side were cruising, particularly with the wind and the crowd at their backs.

They reckoned without true Borders grit, as late tries from flanker Grant Runciman and winger Greig White stunned the disbelieving hosts. The conversions from centre Joe Helps merely rubbed salt in the Aberdeen wounds.