Dundee HSFP 15 - 12 Gala: Fractious match ends in narrow defeat for Gala

THIS was a ill-tempered afternoon, arguments with the referee, shouting and a general air of fractiousness pervading the 80 minutes and that was just from the two coaches.

Dundee should have won comfortably and, had they matched the effort and application shown by the Borderers, they would have done so. The home side had an edge in the scrum and the lineout but they seemed to coast through much of this game as if victory was theirs by right.

In contrast, Gala were the mirror image of their pugnacious coach George Graham. They punched above their weight, figuratively speaking, and fought like alley cats for every bit of loose ball, winning all the 50/50 exchanges.

The visitors scrum-half, another George Graham, was the stand-out player, a thorn in Dundee’s side from the start. Number eight Ewan Dods was everywhere and did everything and the Samoan stalwart Opeta Palepoi made a point for the elder generation. Indeed, he made five points for his club. The big lock scored after the Gala forwards had marched the home eight back from a five-metre lineout.

It came around the 70-minute mark and gave Gala the lead for the first time, but they had little enough time to enjoy it.

Dundee suddenly realised that they were about to lose a game that was there for the taking. They threw the ball about, first to the left wing and then to the right where the rangy winger Andrew McLean sneaked into the corner and Dundee survived the final couple of minutes to keep the pressure on Melrose at the top of the table.

It had looked a lot easier in the first half when flying winger James Fleming popped up with two tries to give the home support something to shout about. Fleming is the Scotland sevens international who has pace to burn but this time he used muscle no one knew he had to barge past three maroon shirts and score the opener.

“I used the contact skills I have been learning from sevens,” he said afterwards.

“You don’t think of sevens as a contact sport but if you don’t get a positive contact in sevens it will probably result in a turnover whereas, in fifteens, you have the support of three or four mates. The Scotland sevens squad has been training at Stirling University now for the last two weeks, which has included a bit of boxing.

“It’s mostly about power endurance but there is a danger that we are pigeon-holed as sevens specialists. I love the short game but I enjoy the 15-a-side game even more, but I haven’t trained with Edinburgh since last November.”

Dundee will be grateful. Fleming scored the first early on and then another try late in the first half to give Dundee a 10-5 lead at the break. Gala centre Alan Emond scored for visitors in between.

With the advantage of the second half slope Dundee went through the motions after the break and Gala dragged themselves back into contention only to lose at the death.