Watsonians 10 - Melrose 23: Melrose dominant in victory

Published on Saturday 19 April 2008 19:46

IN THE event it wasn't particularly close. The two best sides left in the Scottish Hydro Electric Cup met in the Meggetland semi-final yesterday but Melrose triumphed with something to spare thanks to three first-half touchdowns.

Watsonains gave up home advantage – the school has already taken down Myreside's posts – and despite winning the toss, they also gave up the first use of a stiff breeze that blew straight down the pitch. They might regret the decision. Melrose made better use of the elements and were already almost out of sight at the half time turnaround.

Watsonians started on the back foot and they spent pretty much the entire first half in the same uncomfortable position. On the rare occasions they worked up a head of steam and muscled their way into the Melrose 22, someone – Jordan Macey, Scott Wight even flanker John Dalziel on one occasion – would belt the ball 70 yards downfield and the "home" team would have it all to do again.

Watsonains did dominate the set scrum but that was about as far as it went and even then a bobbling ball allowed Melrose to nick two against the head. It was one of those days. "We normally play better into the wind", said victorious coach Craig Chamlers, "so I was surprised to turn around with the lead we had. I thought we played poorly in the second half. We just stopped playing and lost a little confidence.

"But our defence was magnificent throughout, it has been all year. It is obvious that the boys are playing for each other out there and there is a trust in each other now that we haven't always had."

For Watsonians, Kyle Traynor played a captain's role and No 8 Wilie Lipp never stopped trying but too many other home forwards went missing in action. The Melrose big men bossed this match and gave flyhalf Wight an armchair ride especially in the first forty. They had the whip hand at the breakdown where they played the referee for a fool and they displayed good skills when they were needed. Watsonians struggled to get any continuity because their opposition are past masters at slowing the ball at the breakdown. Just how all eight managed to avoid a yellow card suggests that they sail close enough to the wind to give Ellen MacArthur a few lessons.

Hooker Wayne Mitchell even had the audacity to set up the first try with a neat little grubber kick down the right flank that his winger Callum Anderson was always going to get to first. That try on ten minutes was followed by Dalziel's a few minutes later when flyhalf Wight sent winger David Whiteford up the middle of the park with a sublime offload that nevertheless should have been read by a sleepy opposition. The big flanker was on hand to finish the move thanks to another neat offload from Whiteford.

Melrose's third try went to fullback Jordan Macey but only after lock Stuart Johnson had poached a Watsonian lineout and charged into the heart of the defence. The ball was moved wide to the left and the little Australian danced his way over.

Two penalties and one conversion from Wight gave Melrose a 23-3 lead at the break, Skeen grabbed Watsonians only points in the first half and then added another seven after the break. Watsonians were much improved in the second half, largely thanks to Skeen's move into the playmakers' role. The Edinburgh club needed to put an early dent in the Melrose lead to sew some doubt in the Borderers' minds but they couldn't worry they way over the try line until the 63rd minute.

Chances were missed. One final pass sailed harmlessly into touch, a penalty five yards from the Melrose line was reversed for foul play and Jeff Nocholson was brought down agonisingly short of the line when it seemed that the big lock must score.

With the current cup holders knocked out, there will definitely be a new victors crowned when Melrose meet Heriots in the final on 3 May at Murrayfield and, if the Borderers can reproduce this scintillating first-half performance, the silverware will be their's to polish.

Watsonians: C McWilliam, A Rowe, D Brown, M Mialo (A Skeen 20), R Steyl; S Kennedy, S Paulo; K Traynor, G Wood, K Coertze (A Welsh 50), T Callander, J Nicholson, B Hennessey, W Lipp, J Rennie.

Melrose: J Macey, C Anderson, J Murray, G Stewart, D Whiteford; S Wight, S McCormack, K Cooney, W Mitchell (G Inness 37), R Higgins, G Dodds, S Johnson, B Wallace, J Dalziel, R Millar.

Scorers: Watsonians – Try: Skeen. Conv: Skeen. Pen: Skeen.

Melrose – Try: Anderson, Dalziel, Macey. Conv: Wight/ Pen: Wight (2).

Referee: R Dickson (Madras)